Disappointments...

Wow...it's been a week full of disappointments. Lots of them. So, to hopefully combat it and get the disappointments to go away, I thought I'd list my blessings:

My kids...




S2H...



Good Friends...




Family...

Ever feel like you're not good enough?

It's a pity party day for me today. I now know how Derek Shepherd felt when he couldn't do the surgery to separate the twins. How he felt inadequate, etc. Hmmm... Like when he was basically told by Burke that he was a failure. It affected his ability to function as a surgeon. How applicable to life.



There's my Grey's analogy for the week. Enjoy.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

So we did the Black Friday thing last week. Pure insanity at 5:00 at "The Wal-Mart" but a lot of fun, too. Scott, my cousin Lorrie, and I got up early and did the trek. My goal was to get Maggie a personal DVD player and pick up a Cabbage Patch for Addie. (Both of which were accomplished.) We headed over to Target afterwards and Scott enjoyed watching a few people fight at the door. I'm pretty ambivilent to it these days because I've done Black Friday for a while now. This was Scott's second time venturing out with me (the last time being about 9 years ago).

That evening we took the girls to the mall just to see what was going on. I wanted to stop by and say "hi" to a friend working at the Disney Store and Scott needed to pick up some cologne. The weird part was - the mall was empty. There were not a lot of shoppers and hardly anyone out with kids which meant Santa was free with NO line. This is where reality sets in - I'm attaching the photo of my two kids with Santa last Friday. They're not dressed up and they pretty much look like two poor little rugrats, but I love this photo. You can't tell but Addie has sweet potatoes on her shirt because she ate at dinner and I didn't have a bib with me. Maggie's shirt is riding up in the back because she's on a growth spurt and most of her shirts ride up these days. Both needed a comb because we'd been out all day and Maggie's hair was windblown and Addie just has crazy hair right now. It's so funny because most people dress their kids up for their photo with Santa. Nope - not me this year. Just plopped them on Santa's lap and snap the photo!



Santa was a great guy, though! He laughed with the kids, held Addie and talked to her and asked Maggie what she wanted. Of course, Maggie does like Ralphie in "A Christmas Story" and she sort of freezes and shrugs. I had to remind her that she had asked for an American Girl Doll. (Which has also arrived and is sitting at my brother's house since the box says "American Girl" on the outside! Didn't want UPS dropping that off with Maggie home!)

Scott wanted to put this photo on the Christmas cards but I told him "no". I at least need to dress them up for SOMETHING so it might as well be the Christmas card photo. My plan was to dress us all in Bengals attire and take it but I can't get the husband to go for it. Maybe I could just dress me and the girls up and then photoshop Nick Lachey in there. LOL! Just kidding Scott!

One more day until December. Geesh - where did the year go?

Scott and Maggie have new belts...

Nothing really new and interesting is going on in my life, except that Scott and Maggie got their new belts in Tae Kwon Do. So, now they're both green belts with full sparring gear and I have to sit and listen to them bicker and spar all the time. Life at the Rohlfs' is definitely insane.

Here's a photo I affectionately refer to as UFC 78. They're both in their fighting stance, and I was playing with photoshop colors. Note that Maggie is a belt level HIGHER than Scott. (Sorry honey - had to point that out - I think it's funny...) My baby girl is moving on up the TKD ladder!



Then of course I had to take a photo of the baby! Addie was such a trooper during belt ceremony. (Which normally lasts about an hour, hour and a half.) She sat and hollered "da da da da dad" as loud as she could because she could see Scott sitting there waiting for his new belt. The other people there were laughing because you could totally tell she was hollering for him. I just held out the camera and snapped a photo of her. She's so funny and adorable!



I've got my hands full with that kid!

One more day till Turkey Day! Ironically, I'm a fat girl that doesn't eat turkey or much on Thanksgiving day. If it's not macaroni and cheese or mashed potats, I'm not really eating it. Although, the best thing I've EVER had on T-Day was "White Castle Stuffing". Ah yes...Chateau Blanc. Talk about good stuff! I've been begging someone - ANYONE - to make it again for me. (Since I don't cook) If you know anyone that does, please let me know so that I can show up at their door tomorrow with two kids and a husband. Thanks! :)

People Released their Sexiest Men

And frankly, I disagree about George Clooney being the Sexiest Man Alive. (I picked a different Cincinnati boy) So, I decided to make my own list of celebrities that I think are H-O-T. First I must put in the disclaimer that my husband, Scottie 2 Hottie, is the hottest man in my life, but then after him, here is my list of the top 5 guys in entertainment that really get my blood flowing.

Number 5
Brandon Flowers - Lead singer of The Killers. Yes - I love a man in eyeliner. I think it's kind of hot. Plus, he can sing!


Number 4
Ashton Kutcher - I know. So sheepish. So fourteen-year-old girl. But, let's face it. He's hot. He's got the model look thing going on and he's funny. And he likes older women. Good boy!


Number 3
Scott Foley - No, not "Felicity" Scott Foley. We're talking "The Unit" Scott Foley. Oh Hell-to-the-yeah! The only guy I've ever seen who looks BETTER with a buzz cut. I wouldn't mind being rescued by him.


Number 2
Kyle Chandler - This man has been hot since "Homefront" in 1992 when he played Jeff Metcalf. I've followed him through Early Edition and being turned into pink mist on Grey's. Now he's the coach on Friday Night Lights. Makes me want to suit up!


Number 1 - This should come as no surprise to anyone that knows me...
NICK LACHEY - He made People's list but he's the TOP of mine. Good ol' Cincinnati boy. He eats Skyline, plays cornhole and can has a sexy voice. Plus, those eyes. I LOVE blue eyes on a dark haired guy! And, he's tattooed. I like 'em tattooed! Yea baby! Bring on Nick Lachey! He puts sexy back in the cheesy armband tattoo. He makes a wifebeater shirt hot. I'll take two of Nick please!


I did have a lot of honorable mentions, too. I mean - it's not a list without the HM's. (Tyson Beckford, Chris O'Donnell, Mario Lopez, Tiki Barber, David Carr, etc.) Men who will NEVER be on my list: Brad Pitt & Tom Cruise. We've already covered that in previous blog posts.

So - girls of the world - ban together. Post YOUR list - I wanna know your men! (Laura - that means YOU - even if you have to confess to Steve Martin!)

Ever feel uninspired?

I sort of do right now. Don't know what the funk is all about but it's like I'm absolutely inspired to do NOTHING. Absolutely zilch. Normally I'm on a creative high and designing and doing all sorts of things but right now it's like there is this huge wall and I can't even see over it. Have no idea what that's about - I'm just hoping the fog lifts soon.

I also hate posting blog entries without any photos. So, I'll post this one:



Did anyone watch Grey's Anatomy last week. (Who am I kidding? Half of America watches that show!) Anyway, the scene where Addison delivered the stillborn baby did me in. I cried. Sobbed. Sobbed for a while. Sobbed to the point that Scott was yelling at me and telling me it was a show. But to me it wasn't. At that moment it wasn't a show. It was something as real as it gets. I remember thinking about when I was pregnant with Maggie and we were doing the nursery and his parents came over to help paint the walls. They had lost their first baby - Brian - during birth. He was stillborn. I remember their hesitation in helping us prep the nursery. It wasn't hesitation in the sense that they didn't want to help us. It was more that I think they were having flashbacks about their own loss and how he had to come home and take all of the nursery stuff down. It hit me. Right then the pain that the couple in the show was having hit me. I cried for the couple there and I cried for them. I cried because God let me have a healthy baby. The next morning I was still in tears. That's me - emotional. If you know me - you know that I cry a lot.

Ok - since I don't want to have a completely depressing blog post, I thought I'd update a bit about the girls. Maggie had her belt testing on Saturday (she and Scott both tested this weekend) and I have photos but forgot my flash card so I don't have anything to upload right now. She will be a senior green belt this Saturday and Scott will be getting his green belt. We have Maggie's conference on Thursday and her last report card said she's reading above grade level so I'm happy about that.

Addie learned some new tricks. I need to videotape it for the blog but we have a vintage janky-ass video camera, so I'll just have to describe it for you. My brother sings "la la, la la" to her and she bobs her head back and forth to sing to the music. She's also saying "la la" in rhythm with it. Plus in honor of the Florida Gators this week, Scott taught her the Gator chomp. You clap your hands together up and down like a gator a few times and then go "your turn" and she'll do it right back to you. It's HILARIOUS. We were at our little local hang-out with the girls and my cousin last night showing the people who work there Addie's tricks. They were cracking up at her Gator chomp. Imagine this itty bitty little baby doing the Gator chomp. It's a riot!

I suppose that's enough blabbering for a Tuesday but at least I updated the blog!

The Orange & Blue

Scott and I had a GREAT weekend down in Nashville at the Vanderbuilt vs. Florida game. Of course we had to go down there and root for our GATORS! We left early, EARLY on Saturday morning (I don't think I was even fully awake when we left) and arrived in Nashville at about 9:00. The game started at 11:30, so we hung out at the stadium for a while. We couldn't find any tailgators (come to find out they were on the OPPOSITE end of the stadium) so we just watched the teams practice and then vegetated for a while.

Here we are in the bleachers WAY before the start of the game.




Here's the Gators coming out of the tunnel. I LOVE it when they run across the field with the flags. College football just rocks!



We had to cheer on our hometown boy, DeShawn Wynn. D went to school and played football with a few of my nephews, so it's always nice to see a hometown kid doing something good! Plus, we all know that the Gators produce great running backs. Just ask Emmitt Smith!

Finally we had dinner last night with Scott's family. It was his grandfather's 75th birthday. I need to get a photo of him with Scott because looking at Grandpa Moore, I know EXACTLY what Scott is going to look like in about 35 years. It's quite funny to tell you the truth. I've never seen someone look so much like their grandfather as he does. Even acts like him. (I'm sure Scott will be real happy when he reads this!)

Here's a photo I snapped of Addie last night. She is saying SO MUCH these days. "Mama", "dada", "baba", etc. She likes to babble, and holler. You should see her holler at Maggie some days. She wants to get her attention and so she screams as loud as she can. 7 Months is SUCH a fun age!



That's all for now! I promise to update more! Oh - and before I forget, if you live in the Ohio area, I'll be teaching at Simply Scrapbooks in Dayton on the 2nd of December! I hope to see everyone there! (More info to come!)

Trick or Treat

Yea, so I'm a few days late posting this. Aren't I always? I've decided to embrace my slacker attitude. After all, it's sort of a part of who I am.

Halloween was fun but it stunk because it was rainy pretty much most of the day and part of the evening. We did manage to do some trick or treating and Addison even went with us to a few houses of neighbors we know. (I kept telling them that a 7 month old did NOT need candy!) Maggie was wired and ready to go - that kid could have went through five neighborhoods if we let her. She also insisted on wearing these goofy antennae on top of her head. They didn't go with the M&M Costume but hey - she's a kid and I wasn't really in the mood to argue. So, I let her wear them. (They were pumpkin atennae)



Addie, on the other hand, was embracing everything about her costume. I originally wanted them to match, but when I saw this - I had to have it! Leave it to Old Navy to have EXACTLY what we were looking for! (By the way, props to Scott who found it and showed it to me)



All in all, Halloween was a good time. I had Maggie sort through her candy last night and I am bringing it in to my co-workers because I don't want a ton of the good stuff lying around. NONE of us in the Rohlfs household have ANY willpower.

Lastly, Scott and I are headed down to Vanderbuilt this weekend to watch our Gators play. Go Orange & Blue!!! I'm sure I'll post pictures of that next week!

Beware...

Of the carving knife wielding 6 year old! Ok - I'm just kidding, but this photo of Maggie absolutely cracks me up. She's ready to dig in to that pumpkin. By the way, the plastic scoops don't work. Don't waste your money on them. A big ol' metal soup spoon works MUCH better.



We had a great time doing the pumpkin thing. Maggie carved hers into a "mean face" as she called it and I made mine a skeleton face. (I'm into the skull and crossbones thing right now) Of course, did I take pictures of the finished product, yet? No... Why? Because I'm aloof and totally forgot. That's on the agenda for this evening.

Anyway, I walked Maggie into class today because we had to take in her costume, treat bags, etc. and I was so excited seeing everyone dressed up. Halloween is my all-time favorite holiday. WAY more than Christmas. I just love everything about Halloween. I enjoy the time of year (fall is my favorite season) and then the pumpkins, the hayrides, the carving, the dressing up, etc.

It was my dad's favorite holiday, too. He enjoyed passing out candy to all the little kids. I remember sitting with him on the porch and handing out candy. Ironically, my dad was buried on Halloween morning. I went home that night and passed out candy because I knew that was the one thing Dad looked forward to. That was the last year that candy was passed out at their house. Kind of makes me sad to think about it but then on the other hand - Halloween always gives me those happy memories of Dad and I'm thankful for that. He used to take me trick-or-treating when I was little and dig out different little candies that he liked. He was lucky because I was the picky kid that only liked plain Hershey bars and Three Musketeers. I'm still that way. Of course, now I'm the one digging the plain little Hershey bars out of Maggie's bag. I should do a scrapbook layout about that some day. LOL!

Well...to everyone out there with little trick or treaters, be safe tonight! Eat lots of candy and brush your teeth so that they don't rot out. (At least, that's what my mom would say!)

Guess WHO is my new Co-Worker????

Oh yes.... We've been friends since 2004 and now we're co-workers. :)

I am SO EXCITED!!! It's OFFICIAL!



LOVE you Emily!

I'm a total slacker

And I admit it. If you read my blog, THANK YOU. I'm sorry that I'm such a schmutz and never post to it anymore. I just worry that I don't have anything interesting to say at this point. My life is pretty much that - just life. Nothing out of the ordinary. Although, I DID milk a goat last week. I know it's random, but that was about the most exciting thing to happen. And, it wasn't very exciting at all. It was a bit odd, and involved a lot of hand-sanitizer. I went with Maggie on her field trip to a farm where the rest of us adults were laughing at the sexual inuendos the poor tour guide seemed to have every five minutes. She was explaining farm life. We adults were laughing like Beavis and Butthead.

Anyway - I did manage to get some fun photos. Here's Maggie milking the goat. The guide had all the kids do it and most of us adults.



We had a good time, even if it was raining. When I got home, I snapped some shots of Addison. Here she is sitting up and jabbering at me. Her new favorite thing is talking.



We also did the pumpkin farm this weekend but I haven't uploaded those photos. I'll get to them. Scott always yells at me for being lazy in that department. Heck - I tell him that I'm lazy in all departments, not just that one. Ha ha! Oh well...

Back from LAS and FINALLY up and moving

If any of you ran into me at Memory Trends, you know that I was fighting a nasty cold/Vegas Throat/Goodness knows what. It started pretty much the day after we arrived and it progressively got worse until I went to the doctor literally hours after landing back in Cincinnati. The verdict: double ear infection and respiratory infection. It's been a fun few days. Nothing like lying in bed in a fetal position with the covers over your head. That was me for the past four days. So, if you haven't heard from me, now you know why!

But, I'm trying to make this a positive blog post, so I'll touch on a few things. Got some great photos from Jane Hasty (I'll link her to the side of my blog!) from the show. She's so fun! Jane and Laura were my roomies and we had a good time. They even put up with my hacking in the middle of the night. I love ya girls!



Sickies aside, we had a great time in Vegas. The team was AWESOME! Everyone got along and we all sang cumbaya at the end. Ok, so I'm being sarcastic about the last part but we all had a great time! The girls were awesome! I think the funniest thing on the planet is Dana Newsom doing this scream every time Jane did her "boo". It was either that, or Me, Greta, Sherry and Jane sharing a nickel slot machine. Talk about sad. That's 1.25 cents each. I know...pathetic. But, fun...

Here's a bunch of us at the booth. I think this is at about 8:00 in the morning, which after a night in Vegas translates into "Who the *(*& decided we needed to be here early?"



The best thing was when I returned, Addison was jabbering. She says "ma, ma, ma, ma, ma" quite a bit. That's how she gets my attention. She also does "Ba, ba, bab", which sometimes sounds like "Bad, bad, baby". LOL! She's so cute! Plus, Maggie is doing GREAT at her Tae Kwon Do. She was showing me her new form and she's really starting to pop her moves. And, she lost another tooth. The tooth fairy is going to be broke soon if she keeps it up like this.

Then, there's Grey's Anatomy. I haven't done my usual analyzation of the show so far this season. Why? Because I have a lot of thoughts about it. Most of them revolve around Derek and his new persona of being a total jerk wad. I figure one day I'll snap and have to overanalyze one of the episodes, but I haven't quite got there, yet. Thursday's episode left me with this one thought: Meredith - you are STUPID. 'Nuff said.

Back to work. Deadlines loom and I'm not in the mood to think about things today. Have a good one!

Ever had that assignment...

That really has you on edge? One that you just have to make sure is perfect? I just got that assignment two days ago and finished the project for it, and I actually feel like I accomplished what I wanted to. It wasn't for work or anything. It was for Scott. He had called me and asked me to make a card for someone he works with. She was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and so she's going through treatment and is trying to work, even though she's taking chemo. Scott and his co-workers really wanted to show her that they are supportive of her and thinking about her all the time. (He even talked of shaving his head to show his support since she has since lost her hair)

I wanted the card to be perfect. I knew a lot of people would be signing it and it wasn't just "a card". It needed to be special. I was talking with the girls in the office and our office manager said "Why don't you make bricks or something?". That got me to thinking and this is what I came up with:



Everyone can sign a "brick" on the card- her "Foundation of Hope" so to speak. It looks really REALLY plain (and it is) but I think it conveys the message. I used the Gin-X jumbles, turned them over, inked the edges and laid the "bricks" out. I also made little ribbons out of our cotton art tape.

I am still waiting to hear from Scott what they thought about it. I hope that it comes across as I intended. I just feel for her. I've had a lot of experience with people around me that I love battling this disease and I am so glad she has a support system. But, nobody should really ever have to deal with this.

And Now...The WINNERS!!!

Once again, thank you to EVERYONE that entered! Here is a list of the winners as promised and photos of their projects!

Best Overall - Sandy Brantley
Yes - it's an altered ship!


Most Unique - Keri Voigt
SUPER cute earring stand made of coasters!


Best Use of Patterned Paper - Angie Kovacs
The team LOVED everything about the layout!


Best Mini Album - Laura Achilles (We added this category)
This album is chock full of goodies!!!! Yummy stuff!


Downright Gorgeous - Melissa Blair
We thought this layout was just downright gorgeous!


Coasters (Technique, Unique etc.) - Michelle Van Etten
Her story behind the belt was just as intriguing. We loved the coaster altering! (I think the girls are really into glitter glue and dimensional paint)


Congratulations to all of the winners!

And now - the FOUR new DT Members for Imagination Project!

Wendy Gibson
Diane DiTullio
Celia King
Vivian Masket

Congratulations everyone and thank you SO much to those that entered! Don't forget! We may contact you to use something in the future for a newsletter or blog!

Ginger

Winners have been contacted...

Thank you to EVERYONE who entered! We had over 200 entries and they were AWESOME! I can't even believe the amount of talent all of you have! Gorgeous stuff and some pretty darn cute kids!

I'll be posting winners later on today and please - do not fear if you didn't get an e-mail. We're still sorting to see if there is anything we can use in our newsletter or blog. That gets you a fun goodie box, too!

Ginger

Winners will be announced shortly!

Ok girls - the winners will be announced shortly. We had a TON of entries and with trying to get ready for Memory Trends, we've been running around like mad in the office. I've got things fairly narrowed down and we will be contacting winners shortly. I also still have to go through some of the entries that I received this weekend.

I will say - there are AT LEAST 2-3 DT Bids going out. (Based on preliminary checks) I'm pretty excited about that!

I also want to get approval from winners to post their projects before announcing everything. As soon as everything comes through, you'll hear about it! (Might not be until tomorrow!)

Thanks!

Ginger

I'm still on a Nick high...

Cost of Gas to Taft Theatre - $5.00
Parking in private garage - Free thanks to Barb's husband
2 T-Shirts and a pair of Nick Panties - $65
4th row tickets for two - $250

Seeing Nick Lachey within INCHES - PRICELESS

Barb and I had a MAGNIFICENT time. I can't even talk about it without getting giddy and nearly freaking out like a screaming teenager. I uploaded a few things to You Tube so you can see when Nick comes DOWN to the AISLE WHERE I WAS and starts singing to the girl on the other side of the aisle. (I'm on the right - she's on the left) Made me wish I were gorgeous. But, alas I got some great photos. You can sort of hear me and Barb screaming (as well as some girls behind us) Sorry for the poor quality. I took it with my camera phone.



Here he is in full blown singing mode...



Then, I got this snapshot on my camera phone.



Finally, here's one Barb took after Nick found out that I'm happily married to Scott. (Ok - so I added that last part in - but he looks so distraught. That's what we kept telling ourselves)



It was a night well worth it!

Things I neglect:

House plants, paying bills, and obviously my blog. All things that I neglect and for the last one, I am SO sorry! It's just been a crazy week with getting ready for the show, etc.

First things first (and stay for this blog post - it's a LONG one but well worth it!) Sunday was Scott's birthday. So, happy 31 to Scottie 2 Hottie! When I first met him, he was NINETEEN! Can you believe we've been together that long? No wonder he has more grey hair now. :) Love you sweetie!

Secondly - Addie had her 6 month appointment. She's apparently tall and skinny according to the doctor. Still weighs in at a whopping 12 lbs, 8 oz. That's 5th percentile people! How this kid came from me, the Amazon Woman, is beyond anyone's imagination. But, she did. She's 25.5" long - 25th percentile. The doctor said that her body type lends to be tall and thin, even though she's below height right now. She thinks she'll catch up. It's not like she doesn't eat, either. She eats two FULL Stage 2 meals per day plus her bottles plus cereal. She's just SO cute! I'll post some new photos of her soon!

Third - Guess where I'll be in about 7 hours??? That's right!



We're taking a camera. Can we? We don't know. But by golly, we are! Barb's my date for a hot night with Nick! We'll be the two oldest people there and quite frankly - we don't care! Good times to be had by all!

Finally - Here's the part you've hopefully been waiting for. Sneak peeks!!!!

Know this movie??? I used to watch it over and OVER again in middle school. (Showing my age here!)



This one is one of those that defined the life of so many "yuppies". The name is actually a translation of the title. Would love to know if anyone has any idea which one it is! :)



I know that I've sort of done things differently for this show but I really hope that you like them!

New IP Newsletter

Just an FYI - our IP Newsletter went out. Check here to view it:

http://www.imaginationproject.com/Newsletter/IPConsumerNews0906.pdf

If you're not on our mailing list - e-mail Barb Hogan at barb@imaginationproject.com and we'll get you added immediately. Please don't send us spam for home mortgages, pharmacies, cialis, viagara, or any other products. We get enough of those. LOL!

Hi - I'm Ginger and I have a Boy Band Obsession...

Alright - so it's not an ENTIRE boy band, but it's with Nick Lachey - in case you haven't been following my blog. (Which, I wouldn't blame you because quite frankly I've been HORRIBLE about updating it) For the record, I absolutely adore and love my husband, Scott, but I have this little schoolgirl crush on Nick Lachey. (And I'm sure that he's really excited to have a fat, 30-year-old housewife wanting him.)

Guess who I get to see next week????



He's coming to Cincinnati and Barb and I have 6th row. That's right girls - I get to drool 6 rows from the stage... I told the guy that I bought the tickets off of that we'd be the two oldest people there. Probably a thousand screaming teenagers and then us. Should be interesting. Another funny thing is that I bought Addie a onesie that says "My daddy is a rock star." Wonder who it refers to... ;) Just kidding - Scott's a TOTAL rock star, but I thought it was funny.

In other Rohlfs news, Maggie and Scott passed their Tae Kwon Do tests, so Maggie is officially a green belt and Scott is a yellow belt. Maggie thinks it's a pretty good time that she outranks her dad. He has to call her m'aam at school. It's only because he started three months after her, but it's still funny. I give it two more testings before he catches up or passes her. But, for now she thinks it's a riot.

Addie turned 6 months on Sunday. I can't believe how fast the time is flying. She's getting so big. (If you want to call 12 lbs, 8 oz. big!) Seriously - just her actions, how she moves, etc. are getting more advanced and I can tell that things are making sense to her. She recognizes certain items, does certain things, and now has become a little "mommy attached". I'm enjoying it!

Lastly - I have been getting some AWESOME entries for the contest and cannot wait to make a lot of people happy! I can't say who or when but there are a few entries that we are SERIOUSLY considering for our DT. We've got some great stuff! I am still so excited about it. It's so fun to open e-mail every day and have these awesome projects from everybody. I LOVE it!

Well...I'm off to work on a class. I've added two class dates to my teaching - I'll announce both of them soon. They'll be in New Regal and Dayton, OH. Can't wait!

Just a few pics from this weekend...

This is SO Maggie...



The three of us...



Addie - she's getting so big!

Monday...September 11th

In an effort not to compound the depressing thoughts of what happened 5 years ago, I'm just simply going to make one statement: take a moment today to think about everyone involved in this horrible tragedy. I spent a few moments this morning in a moment of silence thinking about everyone involved. It's heartbreaking. Something we should all never forget.

Now - back to my regularly scheduled blog. I had a SUPER busy weekend. We taught at the MWSA in Indy and it was AWESOME. The students were great!!! I had a great time, even though I was sick and am still sick today. I also came home to a sick baby. Poor little Addie has a small cold and she's teething - BAD. Poor little thing chews on everything she can get her hands on. She got up in the middle of the night for about two hours so I'm ready to take a nap. I'm working at home and trying to finish up some stuff. I swear, it's a never-ending cycle. LOL!

I had to post this photo of Addie. She's enjoying her squash. This kid LOVES squash! How odd is that? LOL!



I also just had to mention all of the super cool layouts we've been receiving. Projects, too!!! You girls are ROCKING it! I am still SO excited!

Well, back to work and hopefull a small nap.

Busy Weekend & Contest Update

First off - WOW! The entries that are coming in for the contest are AWESOME! I am SO excited about this! :) You just have no idea. Keep them coming because we LOVE looking at them!

I'll put a link on the side of the blog that will reference back to the rules. Don't forget - you have until September 30th and you can submit as MANY as you want!

Well - back to my regularly scheduled blog. We had a pretty busy weekend - don't I sound like "Frank the tank" from Old School? LOL! Anyway, mainly just family stuff although on Saturday I scrapped with some of my friends and it was awesome! I really miss that! I hope we all do it more often. The only thing is - I need to buy a table. I borrowed one from Scott's parents and it was the perfect size for four of us. Plus, we had Mexican food. And if you're wondering - NO - I didn't count the points...

Sunday was a nice day with Scott's family. We had a good time. Plus, more good food. I've got a lot of redeeming to do this week. Sadly - I ordered Winsor Pilates on Sunday. Hope that stuff helps me. LOL! It worked for Daisy Fuentes, Mare Winningham and Lisa Rinna - I'm sure it can work for me! (Hopefully you can pick up on my total sarcasm) It was only $9.95 plus shipping/handling. I figure I'll give it a try since I like yoga.

Yesterday we took the girls to the Zoo. I didn't realize how busy that place would be. I figured everyone would be recouping from their weekend, but it was a madhouse! Maggie brought Shannon along (Barb's daughter) and they had a great time. By the time we went home, all of us were totally pooped. We saw everything we could! Addison was even worn out! Here's the girls at the Kangaroo Exhibit. They were cracking me up!



Maggie went back to school today. She'll be there two weeks on Wednesday. She's loving it - which is awesome! I hope it always stays that way. Here she is on her first day - I just can't believe how big she's getting.



Then of course Addie's hair just keeps getting longer. This photo is of her in her Bumbo playing in her crib. I was reorganizing her closet (she's FINALLY in 3-6 month clothes!) so she sat and played. I put her hair in a little pony - she makes all these funny faces whenever I get out the camera. She's going to be my fireball!



Scott's doing well...doing his Tae Kwon Do. He snapped this photo of Addison the other day. He's really into the UFC and of course his favorite fighter is Tito Ortiz, so he took this photo of her to upload to Tito's My Space. I don't know what I'm going to do with that boy!



Later!

The RULES!!!

Ok - seems like we've got some interest here! :) I'm pretty excited since this is the first time that I've done anything like this. It's not a "Design Team" call - we don't do those, but I would like to see the work of everyone and who knows - we might extend an invitation. HOWEVER, it IS a little mini-contest and there will be five categories and it will be judged - I'll assemble a panel of "experts" from our design team as well as some of my other friends in the industry to pick the winners. (I usually never pick because I want EVERYONE to win! - I'm one of those people. LOL!)

Anyway - here are the five categories:
1) Most Unique Project
2) Coasters (Use them however you want)
3) Cotton Art Tape - We want to see how YOU would use it!
4) Use of Patterned Paper
5) Best Overall

There are FIVE LARGE prize packages to give out and the deadline is SEPTEMBER 30th! (Midnight EST) You'll need to e-mail your project/layout, etc. to ginger@imaginationproject.com with your name, any story behind your project, products used, and anything else you want me to know. You can mix Gin-X lines, you can use products from other manufacturers with your Gin-X, other IP product, etc. I do ask that entries are predominantly Gin-X. (By the way - if you check out our Imagination Project blog - link on the side of my blog - we'll be posting ongoing contests in the coming months.) If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me with those, too. Also - you can enter as many times as you'd like! That's right - if you want to enter once you can. If you want to enter 900 times, you can! :)

We may ask if we can use your project for either our blog or newsletter. If you are asked, you will be compensated with a goodie box. We will ALWAYS ASK before using your projects, so rest assured that we're not going to use anything and not contact or compensate you.

I look forward to seeing everyone's entries. I'll keep them "Secret" until the winners are posted. If you want to share your entry online - by all means, feel free to do so. So, please don't feel like we'll penalize you for that.

Lastly - if you're having a hard time finding our products, visit our website at www.imaginationproject.com. There is a list of local and online retailers who carry our stuff. If you still cannot locate products, please e-mail me and I will get you in contact with a retailer that can get you product.

Thanks & Happy Scrapping! I'm so excited about this!!!

Ginger

3 lbs and STILL Hungry...

Ok - so I went to weigh-in on Monday night and I lost 3 pounds, which I was surprisingly happy with. I hope to be down another 2-3 lbs next week, but I'm sure that won't be the case. However, who knows, right? I mean, I'm following the points and working out (not as much as I should I'm sure). So, hopefully I will see SOME result. The only thing is - I'm STILL hungry. That's the hardest part that the three of us here are finding. We're still hungry sometimes in the afternoon. Good thing I have sugar free Fudgesicles. That usually holds me over until dinner.

We had two members of the IP Design Team resign this week. I will miss them dearly, but completely understand when things get hectic. So, I've been thinking about things. Right now, our team is heavy - we have a lot of members. As much as I love seeing the work of everyone on the IP team, sometimes I enjoy looking at the work of everyone else, too. With that being said, I am thinking of posting a little "mini-contest" on my blog. Nothing major, or rule-filled, etc. Just something simple. I've got a HUGE goodie box that I'm thinking of sending out to someone who does a magnificient project with Gin-X stuff. Who knows - if you enter, you might find yourself with a nice little note from Barb Hogan asking if you'd like to be on the team.

Would anyone be interested? If I hear of interest, I might post something tomorrow with a little more structure, etc. Just remember that this isn't a "DT Call" but rather a "what can you do with Gin-X?" Plus, we're always looking for projects, etc. for our newsletter & blog and that also will get you a compensation box. :)

Let me know!!!

Neglectful...

I've been neglectful of my blog and for that I am sorry. Neglecting my blog means that I've been doing other things which can be both good and bad. Right now I'm putting all the final touches on show artwork and trying to meet deadlines. Plus, I've been spending time with my family - it's been nice to have a weekend with nothing to do! (Except, we helped cater an event this weekend - fed about 450 people. I'm still trying to recoup!)

Anyway - today's blog was going to be about how you SHOULDN'T act when you're at an event and are being served dinner, but it's done and over and I don't feel like griping about it today. Although, I will say - if you are vegetarian (which there is NOTHING wrong with!) and you know that they're serving Filet and Chicken, make sure to preorder your vegetarian selection! Ok - had to get that off of my chest!

Back to things at hand. Well...no real photos to update. They're sitting on my Rebel which is sitting at home on my scanner. A lot of good that does me for the blog. I do have this photo of my great niece, Ryan. She'll be 9 months tomorrow. Little stinker!



Both my niece and my brother got new cars this weekend. That's something that Scott and I won't see for a long time. I am bound and determined to pay off a car one day. I've got a year left on my 626, and it's only got 26,000 miles on it (it's 4 years old) so I'm thinking that we've still got a long time with that car. At least, I hope so. I keep telling Maggie that it will be hers one day. She's excited about it now, but wait until she's 16. I'm sure that excitement will turn to begging for something different. I'm hoping by then, it will resemble the car John Candy drove in Uncle Buck and we can just have fun with it. Good times I tell ya!

Well, I better get going. I have Weight Watchers in an hour and need to finish up and get out of here. The dreaded scale is calling my name. I hate that damn thing. I think it laughs at me when I step on it, or maybe that noise is the scale choking from my utter size. Either way - I don't like it! LOL!

3.2 lbs down - More to go...

Well, I had weigh-in last night and I was slightly disappointed. I know that a loss is a loss, but I was really hoping for just a bit more - especially since my home scale had me closer to 7 lbs. Oh well...that's 3.2 lbs I hope to never see again!

Maggie starts school tomorrow. She'll be a BIG 1st grader and we met her teacher tonight. I'm sure that Scott is enjoying the new teach - she's about 25, tall, blonde and super cute. Maggie loves her. She was a Kindergarten teacher last year so Maggie had some interaction with her already. Funny thing is - this girl must know my Maggie because she sat her boy, Jacob, next to her. LOL!

Scott had his court date today. I haven't really blogged about it but on August 3rd, he had an accident. He was turning right at an intersection and a kid was riding his bike the wrong way on the street and they collided. The kid was totally fine but it has upset Scott to no end. Plus, he was cited and after he got home, he realized that the citation should have been given to the bicyclist because he was the one that violated the law, so we had traffic court today. His "trial" is on the 19th of September. I just pray that it all goes well. He doesn't deserve this. The kid wanted to leave and Scott wouldn't let him because he was worried that he was hurt. There is a lot more to the story (with the kid) but it boils down to the fact that Scott shouldn't pay for a kid's mistake. The most important thing is that the kid is ok- which he is, so now we have to settle this ticket issue, etc. Fortunately, our insurance company has been COMPLETELY supportive.

That's all for now. I need to get of here and get Maggie ready for School. Have a good Tuesday!

Check out my little munchkin...

Even though I can't eat much (although I'm sure baby foods are low in points), Addison seems to really be catching on!



Here she is eating carrots. Silly little girl. She cracks me up - every time she eats her baby food (which she totally loves more than her bottle) she sucks on the spoon and then blows a bit -so there is usually food everywhere. It ends up in her hair and everything. Of course, with that mane, we're going to have those issues. LOL! (It's aleady long enough that it's down the middle of her back) But, back to the food. She LOVES it. Can't get enough. Maybe I'll finally get my peanut to grow!

Maggie is gearing up for back to school. She's going to miss her sister during the day. She stayed with my mom last night because "it's the last time I'll be able to for a LONG time". She said this as she was pleading her case. Girl is good at pleading. Might make a great attorney one day! Plus, she doesn't like to lose. Ha!

Here she is with Addison. She's a great big sister!



Tonight is Friday - normally we have pizza but now that Scott and I are both doing points, it's filet mignon. Yum!!!! Can't complain there. He used to be a butcher, so steak night at the Rohlfs' is a good time!

Back to Fat Lady Camp

As I write this, my stomach is growling. But, it's ok. I'm making a lifestyle change. At least, that's what I tell myself every time it growls at me. What type of lifestyle change, do you ask? Well...Fatty McFat here signed up for Weight Watchers. I did it back in 2001 and lost 40 pounds in about 4 months. I could stand to do that again (plus some). The good thing is - this time two of my friends are going with me so it will be more motivation. I'm actually looking forward to it - I just have to keep telling myself that Don Pablo is NOT my friend.



This morning my alarm went off. I had set it early so that I could get up and work out. I hit the snooze button. I just couldn't do it the first time. BUT - I laid there and said to myself "Get your fat ass out of bed and get on the treadmill." So I did. And, it actually feels good. I did a mile on the treadmill at a fast walk pace. Well - 3/4 of it was at fast walk and I jogged the last 1/4 mile. It felt GOOD when I was done. Another cool thing was that I got to watch "I LOST IT" on Discovery Health while working out. Nothing like watching people with successful weight loss stories while you're working out. Good times...

I ran to the grocery and overhauled our fridge once again. Another positive is that Scott is on board with me. We counted out our points last night and packed our lunches. We've got dinner planned and I'm pretty happy about it. He also signed up for Tae Kwon Do as his workout. That's his gig - mine is treadmill and sweating with Richard Simmons. I'm really looking forward to our lifestyle change together. The last time I did weight watchers, Scott would eat regularly, so I'd sit with my chicken and he'd be having a Big Mac. Not this time. I'm so glad that he's in it with me.

Well...back to work. The workout this morning put me on an adrenaline rush and I have a million things I want to get done. I hope that by next week, I'm reporting a weight loss in my Tuesday blog entry!

Ok - so I like these little quiz things but this is out of control!

My niece sent me this one. Who in the world cares to know that much stuff? Anyway - since I'm a dork that likes quizzes (too bad it's not on a scantron) here you go! By the way - I noticed a bunch of numbers missing....Oh well...

200. My middle name is: Elizabeth
199. I was born on: June 27th
198. Your sign: Cancer (can't you look that up based on my birthday?)
197. My cell phone company: Verizon - are you in?
196. My eye color: Hazel
195. My shoe size is: 10 - that's right - I have BOATS for feet!
194. My ring size is: 8?
193. My height is: 5'9
192. I am allergic to: exercise
191. I was born in: Good Sam
190. I live in: the ghetto
189. The last book I read: 52 Scrapbooking Challenges by Elsie Flanningan
188. My bed is: not big enough - I wish I had room for a King
187. One thing I know for sure about the opposite sex: Heck...I have NO idea
186. I am glad I'm my sex because: women rule the world!
179. My favorite Holiday is: Halloween
178. The perfect kiss is: from Scott
177. The last three cd's I bought are: Nick Lachey, Dixie Chicks (didn't care for it as much) and Booty Shakin' Hits (At Target)
176. Last song that made me cry was: Five for Fighting - 100 Years
172. My most treasured possessions are: Maggie & Addison
170. What did you do last night?: Went to Applebees with Scott
167. My skin's reaction to the sun is (tan/burn): Burn, then go back to pale white

I Do (YES)/Do Not (NO) Believe In
143. Santa? Not in the literal since but believe in giving
142. Love at first sight? Have you SEEN Nick Lachey?
141. Luck? Yes
140. Fate? Yep - how I met Scott was PURE fate!
138. Aliens? Actually - I do think there is something out there
137. Heaven? Yes!
136. Hell? Yes - but I don't like to talk about it - scary place!
135. Ghosts? Yes- but I don't want to see one. Ever seen a grown woman tinkle herself? I'm petrified of that stuff!
134. Horoscopes? Eh...I enjoy reading them.
133. Soulmates? Of course!

Which is Better?
129. Hugs or Kisses: In Hershey land - Kisses. In real life - depends on who it's coming from. :)
126. Red heads or Dark Brown hair: Well...DUH! I'm a red-head most of the time.
125. Blondes or Brunettes: I don't care
124. Hot or cold: Neither - I have about a 3 degree window where I'm comfortable and that's what I like.
123. Summer or winter: Fall
122. Coffee or tea: Neither - water all the way
121. Chocolate or Vanilla: Chocolate or vanilla covered in chocolate
120. Night or Day: Night
119. Oranges or Apples: Neither - I don't like to taint my junk food with healthy things.
118. Curly or Straight hair: I keep mine straight right now

First Thing That Comes To Mind
115. Backstabbers: I think of high school
114. Parents: Mine were AWESOME
110. School: I was the geek that enjoyed it

Last time I
103. Showered: this morning - goodness, isn't this personal?
102. Last time I hugged someone: this morning
101. Saw someone I haven't seen in a while: probably last week

People
90. Who's the ditziest person I know: Oh goodness...I know a lot of them.
89. Who makes me laugh the most: Scott or Laura
87. One thing I'm mad about right now is: all the hate in the world. Come on people - we're all human!
83. The last movie I saw in the theater was: Hoodwinked. I fell asleep.
82. The thing I don't understand is: how the rich get richer and the poor get poorer
80. The most unsatisfactory answer I've ever received is: I guess
76. This summer I am: traveling more than I'd like to
75. Something I will really miss when I leave home is: my kids
74. The thing that I'm looking forward to the most: raising our kids with Scott
72. Today: has been a long day
70. Next Week: got a lot to do
71. Next Summer: there is another trade show...
67. People call me: Ginger, Ging, Gin-Dog, G, etc.
62. The person who knows the most about me is: Scott
61. The person that can read me the best is: Scott
60. The most difficult thing to do is: Say goodbye to a loved one forever
59. I have gotten a speeding ticket: once and I SWEAR it wasn't me they clocked!
53. The one person who i can't hide things from: my mom
51. Right now I am talking to: nobody
48. I work at: Imagination Project
47. I have these pets: None - had to get rid of them due to Maggie's allergies
45. The worst sound in the world: car crash
35. Florida or hawaii: Neither...I prefer relaxing in the south.
33. My favorite piece of clothing is: jeans
32. My favorite sport to watch is: football
31. Last time I cried: I'm always crying over something
27. Last person who hurt you: feelings wise? Probably some stupid stranger...
22. The all-time best movie is: The Wedding Singer (Ok - it's probably a sappy movie but I like movies that make me laugh more than ones that make me cry - I already cry too much)
21. The all-time best thing in the world is: my girls
20. the all-time best person you know is: Scott and My mom
19. The most annoying thing ever is: I've got a list
18. The most annoying person you know is: got a list for that, too!
17. I lose all respect for people who: are dishonest, whether it be lying, stealing or cheating. It's just WRONG
16. The movies I have cried at are: The Notebook, The Green Mile, The Color Purple, Steel Magnolias, the list goes on and on.
15. Closest friends Names: I have a bunch of tight friends!
14. tv show ur watching? No tv here. :( But if I had a choice - GREY'S ANATOMY
13. Favorite web site: ebay
12. I want to be: financially stable
11. Something you want most?: my family to be safe
10. My favorite phrase: seriously...
9. My room is: lavendar
8. My favorite celebrities are: Nick Lachey, Nick Lachey and Nick Lachey
7. The hottest celebrity is: Nick Lachey - if you don't know who he is - see above
6. Your strongest physical feature is: I don't have one.
5. My weakness is: chocolate
4. If you could be anyone in the world, who would it be? Me...just with some tweaks. :)
2. I filled out 200 questions because? My niece sent it to me and there weren't 200 questions - what's up with that?
1. What do you want? Security

WOW! Well...that's intense. LOL!

8 Years Ago...

I married a wonderful guy. We were just kids at the time, but I knew he was the one for me. Little did I know that one day we'd have to be "adults" and we'd be parents of two beautiful girls. God has been good to me. He gave me Scott and then Maggie & Addie. On my anniversary today I appreciate it. I'm glad that I'm married to a guy that makes me crack up and takes wonderful care of our kids. He keeps saying his contract was only for 7 1/2 years, but he must obviously enjoy it because it expired over 6 months ago and he hasn't bothered to run. LOL! Plus, he has my name tattooed on his shoulder. Good luck covering that up!

Here's our little family...

Friends don't let friends fly through ORD or ATL...

Ok - so, I'm sitting in OHare for the umpteenth time this month. Maybe I'm exaggerating a little but I calcuated it this evening (because BOTH of my flights were delayed) and over 80% of the flights that I have taken during this four-week travel excursion of mine have been either delayed or cancelled. That's not at ALL annoying... (pick up the sarcasm there?)

Here is me two minutes ago: NEVERMIND - Blogger won't load the flippin' photo.

I was rolling my eyes. I don't know what's more annoying. The people around me or being delayed and not getting into CVG until after Midnight. Ms. Thang at Starbucks was less than stellar. I love it when you ask a question and instead of a simple "yes", you get that mumbled "uhm hum" and that look like you've got three heads. Or, Ms. Primpy who has to spray God knows what into her hair two seats away from me at the gate. Whatever it was, it left a cloud around her head. Pretty foul.... Plus, Blogger is being janky and it takes forever and a day to upload a photo. Can't a fat girl catch a break? My friends always tell me that I make these faces that let you know when I'm not amused. I'm sure I have that look right now. I think I'm just tired and my level of patience has definitely worn thin. Ha!

I do have to talk about the awesome Scrapbook Tour for just a minute. Ladies in St. Louis are absolutely AWESOME and VERY welcoming! SO, if any of you St. Louis ladies are reading this - THANK YOU! Especially Pat and Kathy who were amazing volunteer TA's! Big hugs to you girls!

Alright - well, I better quit my gripe fest - I hate feeling negative. Ok - I'm lying. I get a kick out of it. Ha! Just kidding. I'm trying to find some light in this flight delay crap. Maybe Nick Lachey will somehow walk up and be on the same plane. I'm sure THAT will really happen....

I just miss my family. Scott had a slight mishap that I will blog about later and I'm looking forward to taking Maggie school shopping and just cuddling with my peanut, Addie. Plus, there is nothing like being home with Scott and the kids. Hope to have a lazy Sunday with all of them.

Gotta run - flight MIGHT board in five minutes...

It's been a few days...

When you're literally living out of a suitcase, it can be very difficult to update the blog. I apologize for that- trust me- I enjoy talking about myself and miss my online journal. I'm almost done with all of my traveling. This week I'm in St. Louis and then next week I'm back home for a few weeks. Ah yes...my own bed and some sleep! (Not to mention - time with my precious girls!)

CKU was a blast. The girls in Atlanta were FUN and we had a good time. Check us out...



This was dinner on Saturday night. We were WORN OUT! Of course, I go to leave the next morning and my flight was cancelled. I have to be honest - that's the SECOND time in about a week and a half that I've been stuck in the ATL airport. Quite frankly - I'm sick of looking at the place. But, I did get home and Laura and I got some hilarious shots while on the plane. Check out her blog sometime - she's deathly afraid of flying but we make it a good time. We even managed to plan her wedding on the way from ATL to DAY. (Yea - they flew me to Dayton and then down to Cincinnati. Made sense to me...)

I have to say, I am SO GLAD that I have a few days with my girls. Addie is growing like crazy and is talking constantly. Just baby babble, but it's so cute to hear her. She went to the doc last week for her shots and she's weighing in at a whopping 11 lbs, 4 oz. Talk about a TEENY TINY! LOL! But, they said she's growing just fine - her growth curve is perfect - she's just in the 10th percentile. It's an adjustment for me considering Maggie hovered in the 95th percentile and still does.

I'll post more photos soon. I have to get back to packing kits. I also wanted to mention that I've added some teaching dates in September - I'll be at the Midwest Scrapbook Convention in Indianapolis. Looking forward to it! :)