If you live in Ohio and want to take some cool classes...

Do I have a proposition for you! I will be at Cord Camera in Macedonia on April 28th teaching three SUPER fun classes. This is the first time in a long time that I've really looked forward to teaching my projects because I just LOVE them! I was surprised at how easy the Project Essentials line made it for me to put these together and I guarantee that if you take the classes, you'll LOVE them!

Cord Camera Macedonia Schedule

The first one is called "Year in Review". This little book was put together with some very fun Chloe's Closet and Office Supplied papers, plus embellished with cardstock stickers, coasters, buttons and more.




The second one is about "Goals". You know how everyone makes resolutions in the beginning of the year? Well, they don't always stick but I think that if you make goals, you're more likely to follow-through with them. That's what this fun little album is about.




Last but not least is the board book album - made primarily from "As You Wish". And, you guessed it - it's about YOU. These little board books (about 5" x 5") are smokin' hot!




In all seriousness, I cannot wait for these classes next week. Scott is taking off of work to drive up with me and we're doing the crop on Friday night. (Well, I'll be at the crop doing Make & Takes and giveaways - Scott will be watching ESPN back at the hotel - the football draft is next weekend.) I hear the crop is going to be a good time - complete with pizza and I plan on doing some serious giveaways. You might want to call Felicia at Cord and sign-up as soon as you can!

If you don't live in the Ohio valley, e-mail me if you're interested in any of the projects. I might be able to hook you up!

Hopefully this is a better week...

Last week was just too much. With Margaret's death, the funeral, and my mom having an emergency CT Scan because they thought she had appendicitis (turns out to be diverticulitis instead), I pretty much had a rough week. I'm praying that this one gets better.

Of course, we did have one bright spot in the week - Scott and I got a brand new Sonata. I have to be honest when I saw that I never thought I'd buy a Hyundai. I remember the days in the 90's when Hyundai's weren't necessarily your best car. They weren't Yugos, but they weren't Toyotas, either. However, with the rise in gas prices and our SUV that sucked gas constantly, we decided that we needed to check out the mid-size sedans and see what we could find. (Especially since Addie's car seat probably wouldn't fit comfortably in an RX-8.)

We had already test drove the Mazda6 (LOVED IT) but the dealer wouldn't work with me on pricing the way I wanted him to. (After trading in 13 cars in 12 years, I know how to harass a dealer!) I started asking friends and family about their cars because were were going to buy outside of Mazda and my SIL and Barb H. both have Sonatas and LOVE them. Like, serious LOVE. The type of love for a car that causes them to light up when they talk about it. They're simple cars, yes, but I'm an adult now and have realized that sometimes the basic cars are the good ones. Boy - were they right! I picked it out - Dark Grey. And, new car smell. LOVE new car smell.



Good thing is - my payment is cheaper, so I'll have it paid off about the same time or sooner than the Tribute. Plus, this baby has XM Satellite radio. I never realized how awesome that is! I've been enjoying my morning commute with my 80's, 90's and Hitlist channels and Maggie's pretty stoked about Radio Disney.

Anyway - not too sure what the purpose of my car post was except to say that I'm now the PROUD owner of a Hyundai. Maggie wants it when she turns 16. (I'm sure she'll change her mind by then!) But, hopefully it will be gas friendly (seems to be so far) and everything that my friends and family said it would be.

On a final note, if you do not know about Jen Gallacher and her little boy, Joey, please check out the link at the side of my blog. It's heartbreaking to think about everything her family must be going through right now. Anyway - Tania Willis has organized a benefit for the family and as someone who has been touched by cancer in her life, I know how much this can mean to someone. So - please check out the benefit information. There are a lot of great scrappers donating a lot of time and products and if you donate, your name may be drawn to receive one of the amazing gifts. I believe in the power of many.

Unfinished Pearls

For those of you who may not know, Maggie's real name is Margaret. When I was pregnant with her, Scott and I thought it would be fitting to give her a very classy name. My mom's best friend was Margaret. I grew up with her daughter and had actually grown very close to her, and since her children never had any plans to have children of their own, we thought we would name our daughter "Margaret", after mom's best friend. I remember one day Margaret telling me that it was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for her - and I was glad that we did it.

When Maggie was born, Margaret bought her a necklace and started the strand of pearls. Basically, every year, so many pearls would be added to the necklace so that when Maggie got married, she'd have a string of pearls (something old) to wear. Here's where I wanted to insert the photo but my camera is at home and I'm a bit frazzled right now.

Saturday we got a phone call. It was about 3:00 in the afternoon and I was vacuuming the living room floor. Scott was downstairs playing with the girls and I was getting the house cleaned up so we could meet his parents later. My brother called Scott's line and he brought me the phone. I figured he wanted to go out to eat or something, but when I took the phone, he had different news. Margaret died. Just like that. She was gone. Nothing expected, etc. He had my mom in the car and they were headed to the hospital to say their goodbyes. Mom wasn't doing well. She had just lost a good friend two months ago, but this was Margaret. They talked every day and got together often on the weekends to go shopping and eat dinner. This was different. This was the woman I named my daugther after. It was unexpected - she was only 63.

When I got to the hospital, I stood with my mom at Margaret's side. I prayed that God made her transition easy. I promised her I'd finish the pearls.

The service is sometime this week. I guess I'll find out today since they had to wait to make the arrangements due to the holiday. Ironically, I believe Easter was one of Margaret's favorite holidays. She had just brought Maggie a basket with a bunny on Friday. I don't think the bunny has left Maggie's side since.

I guess there is no moral to my story. I just wanted to get it out - type it out, put it in writing to make it more real. Right now, it doesn't seem real. I keep waiting for her to call me about Mom or send a little card over, etc. I also keep waiting for life to get just a bit easier.

Old Wives' Tales

You know - I've been thinking about all of these sayings and tales my mom has and how true they are. Especially now - they are VERY true to life. Thought I'd share a few of my favorites:

1) Whatever can go wrong, usually will. (I know this one - especially since I had to replace four tires on my car yesterday. I must have ran over something on the highway that blew one out and sliced the other. That was a great way to start my morning.)

2) It takes a friend and an enemy to hurt you. The enemy to do it and the friend to tell you about it. (Yes - but then they both are no longer friends.)

3) Throw a dog a bone and he'll bury you with it. (Pretty self-explanatory. I won't be throwing bones any more.)

4) Buy someone for what they're worth and sell them for what they think they're worth. (We refer to it as the "Diana Ross Syndrome". Ha!)

Had a great weekend!

You know, to be a scrapbooker, I'm HORRIBLE about photos. Therefore, I don't have many to post from this weekend because I had one heck of a good time at a crop on Saturday and took NO photos. That's right. None. But, I did finish 12 layouts (nothing groundbreaking of course) and caught up with some very good friends and new friends to boot! I can't wait to do it again. Here's one of my layouts - photo is crooked - I apologize for that.



On Friday night (I'm working backwards here, aren't I?), Scott had his belt ceremony. We ended up sitting Maggie out for this testing just because it's a different level and she was not ready for Senior Blue. Plus, it gave Scott a chance to catch up and be the same rank with Maggie. One of the reasons why I'm glad they're the same rank now, is that if and when they do become black belts, hopefully it will be at the same time. There was a father there giving a speech that evening regarding his daughter that had just earned her black belt and I became teary eyed. It was one of the BEST speeches I have ever heard. He told her how she was differentiating herself from the norm, and how she had something that even her daddy didn't have. It was so moving to see this father talk about his daughter with such raw emotion. Afterwards, I went up to the family to talk for a minute because I was so inspired by them. Even Scott said he got a little verklempt. (My girls know what I'm talking about!) Anyway, I DID get a photo of Scott with his new belt and Mr. Lewis - the instructor. (Relax girls - Lewis is taken. He has a very sweet girlfriend, Nim.)



Other than that - nothing is really going on. I'm trying to catch up on my sleep from Saturday still. (Got home close to 2 am - only because I was behind a drunk passed out at the wheel at an intersection and had to call the cops - that was fun - NOT!)

Addie's Stats

Scott just called me from the doctor's office. Addie is in for her 1 year appointment and it's so funny how different she is from Maggie. At 1, Maggie was about 24 pounds and wearing a size 4 shoe, 18-24 month clothes and she was a good-sized kid. Addie is weighing in at a whopping 16 lbs, 7 ounces (it's still all about the ounces right now) and is 28" long. (She has LONG legs, though - I now have her wearing her 3 month pants as capris - LOL!) Her two outfits I just bought her today are 9 months. Normally, she wears anything from 9-12 months and her shoe size is a 2.

I'm thinking my kids are going to look NOTHING alike. Scott even said the other day that Maggie will be about 5' 9" (my height) and Addie might top out at 5' 2". Unless this kid has a big growth spurt later on, I'm willing to say that he's right.

Scott's call came before her shot. I'm sure this is what's going on by now...



Poor little peanut. :(

Just precious...

I'm getting ready for a crop this weekend and have been working on some photos - going to get them printed tomorrow and thought I'd post a few.

Blurry but I like it.


She's all about the curtsy...


Finally - pfffttt! Addie's favorite thing to do when she doesn't like what you say. (She also nods yes and no, but prefers the pfffttt!)

Before Karin threatens me one more time...

I figured I'd better post a new blog entry. I've had a lot going on with Scott and the kids, which is why I SHOULD blog but I've been swamped at work and at home. However, I'm taking a few minutes and doing it now. (Ok Karin?)

Scott and Maggie had their Father/Daughter dance with her brownie troop this weekend. It was actually all of the Girl Scout troops in our neighborhood. It was a square dance, so they went with denim for attire. Unfortunately, my husband hates having his photo taken (sort of ironic that he's married to a scrapper, huh?) but you know this event wasn't going to take place without one! Here they are in the front yard before the dance. He took her out to dinner (McDonalds - her choice) and then to the dance where they DoSiDo'd all night. (Is that even how you spell Dosido?)



This weekend I grabbed some shots of the girls. First, Addie all passed out on the couch. She had a rough night of partying. (Ok - I'm kidding, but you gotta admit that a 1 year old partying hard is funny)



We put her toys together from her birthday. (Boy - does this kid have TOYS!) Her favorite so far is the Busy Ball Popper. It's like a popcorn popper on steroids. It pops these balls out and all over the place and the girls entertained each other for probably an hour with that thing. (Yes - Maggie thinks it's cool, too)



Last is a shot of the two of them together. What you don't see is the 15 other photos of Addie giving Maggie all sorts of grief. The two of them are HILARIOUS together. Maggie tries to read to Addie and Addie grabs the book. Addie will take Maggie's toy and when Mags goes to take it back, Addie screams at her at the top of her lungs until Maggie freaks out and gives it to her. It's hysterical. But, they love each other. Addie calls her "MA". You'll hear her in the back of the car "MA - MA!" (Long A, not a short one. That's my name)



Maggie's in that phase where she won't give me a normal pose or smile. Six going on sixteen.

My baby turned 1...

I knew the big day was coming but I swear - it just seems like it was yesterday that I was bringing Addie home. What's cool is that I can go back and read on the blog about when I was getting ready to go to the hospital and when we brought her home, etc. (The beauty of new technology!) On Saturday, my baby girl turned 1!

That morning I got her up and I was holding out my finger saying "Addie - you're 1! You're a big girl" to which she promptly gave me a "pffffttt" with her tongue. I guess my girl is not about celebrating birthdays. LOL!

We ended up having 2 parties - one on Scott's side and one on mine with a few friends intermingled between the two. That meant two cakes, two mini-cakes, two outfits, two times with a messy baby and LOTS of presents!

Here's Addie with her first cake - I got one that was yellow and the other was chocolate. Here she is on Saturday night for her first party (the theme of course was shamrocks!):





Sunday is when we did the party with my family and the chocolate cake. Guess which one she liked better?



The funniest part of the entire weekend was her reaction when everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to her. On Saturday night, she laughed and danced. Sunday - she covered her head. (I'm thinking my family must have been REALLY out of tune!)



It was a good weekend, and I'm holding up well. Considering that this is probaby our last (ok - I'd say if Scott has his way, it is), I did good. Now - I'm not going to promise no tears when she goes into Kindergarten.

Regina George

Recognize her?



The first time I saw "Mean Girls", I was in Provo (actually Ogden, UT) staying with my good friend, Teresa Collins. Let me tell you - we had a laugh watching the movie because we remember high school and the "plastics". But, what's sad is - lately, I've seen this behavior in GROWN women.

Case in point. I have a very good friend who participates in a recreational activity. (No, it's not me and no the recreational activity isn't "recreational" as in "Dazed and Confused" recreational) She's good at what she does. VERY good. However, there is a Regina George in the facility. She likes to be the leader of the pack so to speak. Quite frankly, it's upsetting to me to see adults treat each other this way. The jealousy and competitiveness obviously wasn't left at the door when she graduated eighth grade, much less high school. So, this girl (Regina George) has decided to create her own little "clique" and purposely leave my friend out, even though they were once close friends. She's been ousted. Why? Because she's good at what she does. Doesn't really sound mature, does it?

Then, I have another friend that gets pummeled with vicious rumors about her personal life that aren't true. Once again - remember when Regina calls the mom of the girl who was dating the boy her friend liked and makes up a nasty lie to get her in trouble? Or, the slam book? Ah yes... I'm starting to see a pattern here.

Tina Fey probably wrote the movie based on her own experiences, but I bet half of them happened during ADULTHOOD. You would think that as grown women, we'd look around and realize what we're doing to each other. I'm not saying we all act like the chick that wants to "bake a cake full of rainbows". But, take a step back and realize that we're only hurting ourselves by doing these types of things. Girls need to band together. Not connive and fight and back stab. It's not a good thing.

Fortunately, I surround myself with what I like to refer to as "low maintenance friends". I don't have to ask them if I can wear a ponytail at the lunch table and I'm not limited to jeans once per week. It's good that way.

Yes, it COULD suck more...

I had to laugh at this photo - I stole it from Barb's blog, so my apologies to Barb in advance for building upon her idea. But, it's a good one.



Here's the deal. I let things bother me. So much so that I probably need to wear the bag because in the grand scheme of things, it's small potatoes. There are big things going on that I need to take care of more and not worry about those little ones. But, I always let things eat away at my core and piss me off. Maybe I'll celebrate National "Get Over It" day. Hey Barb - how about you crack open a bottle of wine and we let it all go! I'll drink to that!

Here's another thing - WHY do people feel this need make themselves feel important, even if it means putting someone else down or stepping on them? Maybe they need to wear the bag, too. Or, get a good check on themselves.

That's all. Just my PSA of the day.

I honestly don't have a lot to say

Ok - so this morning after my 6th e-mail of people wondering when I'm going to update my blog, I decided that I better put something on here. The truth is - I don't have a lot to say right now. Or - maybe the things that I DO have to say, I can't. That's probably a more accurate statement.

BUT - I did find something really cool this weekend. Scott's cousin has the Nintendo Wii. Ok - I'm not one for video games but this thing is FLIPPIN' SWEET! We bowled, played tennis, etc., all with these motion sensors. I even KO'd a guy in the first 20 seconds of the first round during boxing. (I LOVE to box!)



According to Dave Ramsey (because I follow his plan pretty religiously these days), I need to save for one, so the Wii was added to my savings list. Besides, they're not out in stores, yet, anyway. In the interim, I'll probably go to the gym and try to find someone to box me. LOL!

The greatest moment in television...

Scott told me it's just a show. But, it's not...it's so much more.

I watched the greatest moment in television ever for me. It outranked the first kiss Ross and Rachel shared at Cafe Perk. That (Ross and Rachel) was NOTHING compared to Izzy and Denny last night.

When my dad died almost 13 years ago I was young and wasn't real sure of faith, the world, etc. I didn't really put a lot into it because teenagers think they're invincible. They truly do. I did. But, then dad died. Reality smacked me in the face so hard that it left bruises. Not physical ones, but emotional ones.

I often would ask my mom "Mom - do you ever "feel" dad? Sometimes I feel like he's with me." And she would tell me that she did, get teary eyed and we'd change the subject. I asked her again this morning and we had a good cry. Almost as good as the one I had last night when I cried myself to sleep over Izzy and Denny. It was validation. Even though it's television it was validation through the writers. Someone - maybe Shonda - has felt the same way. I'm not alone. Mom's not alone. Dad feels us. He's there. I told her about the scene and we cried for a moment. That's what's great about my mom and I. We can share those things and that faith.

I didn't expect that scene. I really didn't. I thought it was over when Meredith came back. I thought that Izzy would be burning bridges with George and it would be over. But then...it happened. That moment in the hallway where Izzy stands there and closes her eyes and the camera pans away and there's Denny. He's beside her. He feels her. She feels him. (Oh God - I need another Kleenex)

Sorry I don't have a photo. I looked everywhere for one. I guess it hasn't been posted, yet.

Have it your way...

No - this isn't an ode to the "King" (although the BK commercials crack me up ever since Big Buckin' Chicken), but rather something I got off of Barb's blog. It's all about having things YOUR way. Or, MY way in this case. It says to list 10 things you have to have your way. Scott would probably tell you my list is longer than 10, but here are the ones that are top of mind.

1) My pants have to be folded over on a plastic hanger. I CANNOT have them folded in a drawer.

2) My closet cannot have ANY wire hangers. I think Mommie Dearest really did it in for me. If a wire hanger finds its way into my house, I throw it away immediately. (However, I'm considering switching to wood hangers)

3) I cannot have a smudge on my glasses. They have to be spotless. I clean them constantly.

4) Gotta have Heinz ketchup. No other ketchup. Just Heinz.

5) I refuse to call embellishments "embellies". I know a lot of people use that term but I can't. It just goes right through me. I don't know why.

6) My pens have to be fine point. I prefer an RSVP by Pentel Fine Point Pen in black or blue ink, but I'll settle for a Bic 4 color pen in fine point. I like my pens fat and fine. (hey - kinda like me!)

7) I don't want any nuts in my chocolate or brownies. I want my food plain. No nuts. As for hamburgers, etc., I want those plain, too. I don't like mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato, etc. on ANYTHING.

8) I always order my drinks without ice. It waters down sodas and I don't like cold drinks - I actually prefer them room temp.

9) I prefer drinking out of plastic as opposed to glass. If I'm at home, I always use the plastic cups. I also rinse out every cup before using it.

10) When I'm driving long distances, I won't use cruise control. My husband won't go anywhere without it. He thinks it's crazy that I don't use it but I don't like the idea of not having total "control" in the car. He's trying to get me to use it, but it's a long battle.

That's it - I'm neurotic. There are all of my "have it my way" things. Do you have anything that has to be your way?

Who wants a Clean House???

Ok - my latest obsession (other than Grey's, Nick Lachey and Sharon Laakkonen's truffles) is Clean House on Style Network. I personally think Niecy Nash is the best host on ANY home makeover show and Mark Brunetz has one of the coolest design styles I've ever seen. I love how he puts an entire room together. Since getting DVR, I've managed to record almost every episode and watch them whenever I have a spare moment. (Maggie always votes for Clean House at night when we're watching TV) Seriously - you have to check out Mark's style!



Anyway - I have a HUGE confession to make. My scraproom is...well...it's a cluttered mess. I mean - a MESS. Scott will tell you it's a total mess. I have to WALK over things to get to the other room. It's definitely a candidate for Clean House but Niecy and crew won't come out Cincinnati, so I have to stage my own intervention. And, I made the first step this week. I was browsing through Memory Makers not too long ago and came across these new storage units by Croppin Companion and fell in love!





Guess what will hopefully be arriving at my house next week? That's right - these flippin' cool organizers. I've decided to keep myself true to the project. I am going to post on my blog and probably on RMH updates on how my room is progressing. I'm hoping that my regular blog readers might enjoy watching me transform this small space of my house. (I live in a TINY Cape Cod) Besides, I think these are the coolest looking organizers and they sort of have that West Elm feel. I'm actually EXCITED about reworking the room. I hope it turns out how I envision it - even though I really can't repaint the room, I'm hoping that it makes a HUGE difference and takes up less space.

Anyway - stay tuned to see how it turns out. It's a darn shame that it's the dead of winter here or I'd have one killer yard sale in the process!

(Oh - and for those of you that used to read my Grey's interpretations - one is coming soon. Can I just say that I about peed myself when I saw my hot, sexy bomb guy - AKA - Kyle Chandler. And - seeing Denny brought a tear to my eye. I miss him!)

I've been Tagged!

I love being tagged. I'm such a geek - I love little trivia type things on my blog. :) This one is from Stacey Panassidi from Junkitz. I just adore that girl! (By the way Stac - if you read this - I eat my Kit Kats the EXACT SAME WAY! Co-workers make fun of me for that!)

Anyway - I need to post six quirky things about me. Here goes:

1) I hate eggs. I won't let them even touch my plate or any utensils that I use. If Scott fries an egg in the house, I have to leave the room - or leave period. I can't stand the smell of cooked eggs. They make me gag. If he makes eggs and other breakfast items, he has to use different utensils for each or I freak out. Eggs are foul!

2) I have Ariel from The Little Mermaid tattooed on my back. When I was 21, I was a HUGE collector of memorabilia from the movie and had her tattooed on my lower back during spring break. My mom cried. I thought I was cool. Now - I threaten Maggie that if she ever gets a tattoo, she'll have me to deal with. Funny how things change. (By the way, I have three tats total. Sorry mom!)

3) I went to college on a full-ride scholoarship. It was actually a combination of various scholarships and one of them was from the American Federation of Riders. (i.e. Bikers) They were the most generous, sweetest group of people you'd ever meet. They paid towards four years of my tuition. I gave my acceptance speech in a bar. (I'm not kidding!)

4) Snack size Hershey Bars are my favorite candy on the planet. When I was a kid, I would trade everything else I owned at Halloween for those. Still do. Maggie knows when she trick or treats, the Hershey's are for me. Plain ones. No nuts. Has to be snack size. No other size is the same.

5) When you talk to me, you might pick up an accent, but if you hear me talk to my mom, you would think I lived in the holler down in Kentucky. Everyone tells me that when she calls, my voice completely changes and I revert back to my roots. I swear we have our own language.

6) I have driven more cars than years I've been driving. We used to like to trade in all the time. Here's my list of cars since turning 16: 1985 Chevy Celebrity Eurosport, 1988 Dodge Dakota, 1992 Dodge Dynasty, 1990 Chevy Cavalier, 1996 Pontiac Sunfire, 1995 Pontiac Grand Prix (what Scott drove when we met), 1998 Honda Civic (we owned TWO of these), 1999 Honda CR-V, 1999 Ford Ranger, 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan, 2001 Toyota Tundra, 2002 Toyota Camry, 2002 Mazda 626 (which we still have), 2003 Land Rover Discovery, 2005 Mazda Tribute (I still have this, too). (16 total)

I have more quirks, but I don't want you to think I'm a complete weird-o. Now I'm going to tag two of my good friends: Barb Hogan and Heather Preckel! Enjoy girls!

The flu sucks!

Well, sorry for being MIA, but I've had the flu the past week. Started with the stomach flu right after I returned from CHA. Actually, Maggie had it first and then I started in with it a little bit and then Scott got it full-blast. I thought that's what I had but then by Thursday I was running a 102 degree fever. It was full-blown flu with an ear infection on top of that. I ended up missing three days of work last week. Ugh... I'm usually on a post-show high wanting to get back in the swing of things and that really threw me off, so this week I'm playing catch-up.

I wanted to post a few pictures from this weekend. Figured I don't take enough. (Truthfully, I don't. I hate that!) Here's Maggie. She's growing so fast. Her adult teeth are coming in quickly. Both of her baby teeth on each side of her two front teeth are loose. I give it another week before they're gone. She's got teeth just like me. I told Scott we need to start saving for the orthodontist now. (Both of us had braces)



Here's Ms. Addie with pigtails. Her hair is SO long. I keep telling people that it's down to the middle of her back. She actually sat still long enough for me to put it into pigtails. How many 11 month olds do you know with hair like this?



Finally - I'm taking a big risk posting this but it's hilarious and very tongue-in-cheek. My cousin bought this onesie for Addie. You'd have to know this baby to understand. She's mean. She's a little devil. (She's precious, too, but oh so sneaky!) She likes to throw things and she gives Maggie a run for her money. Imagine this teeny tiny peanut (under 15 lbs) running around like a little spider, throwing things and being mean. That's Addie. And, she will look you in the eye and grin as she does it. Mean little stinker. So, my cousin bought her this onesie. It's hilarious! We were cracking up.



Oh- before I forget, check out the IP blog - fun contest going on there! You can enter and win a NICE prize! (Probably a UPS box that's at least 10 lbs!)

Well...I'm home

After 12 hours of traveling yesterday, I'm home and today I'm back in the office, hard at work. It's funny because my loan officer called this morning and she was like "You're in the office???" I got in at about 8:30 last night to close on my refinance and this morning I'm back at work. She couldn't believe it. I told her that I was dedicated. LOL! Truth is - I didn't want to use a comp day today and I have a lot to do.

I didn't get much sleep last night because Addie was sick. She threw up on me in the middle of Grey's Anatomy. (Thank GOD for DVR) Poor little peanut kept me up until 1:00 am. I felt so bad for her. Her little belly was a mess. Hopefully she's better today. this morning she seemed ok. Maggie was sick as well and today is her first day back to school in a few days. She had a cough but was a total trooper and took her cough medicine and antibiotic, so hopefully all will be restored soon at the Rohlfs household.

I tried to sum up my CHA experience...I really don't know any other way than this...



I feel so tired and just obliterated like Bill the Cat. The only thing that would make this more me would be if he were lying down with his eyes shut. Oh - and the scope. I feel like a target sometimes. This industry is SO big and there are SO many companies out there and everyone is giving their opinion and you pretty much feel like you have a target on your back. I read things on message boards and even though a lot of them are really wonderful and awesome, some of them sting. Hence, the target.

What's great about trade shows is that you get to see a lot of people that you know online or that you're friends with but only get to see rarely. It was great having Stacey and Teresa next to me (Junkitz) because whenever any of us would get a free second (which was RARE), we'd chat briefly with each other. Seeing most of the design team is awesome, too, because we had a fun dinner out (see the IP blog for details) and got a moment to bond together. Then - there are others that you see - people who are just all around amazing and fun! Wes Thomsen comes to mind for me there. If you don't know Wes, then you NEED to look him up. He's amazing! He is the man behind the movie "Scrapped" and he's my type of scrapper. He likes the art of the industry and what it stands for. He's totally hilarious! Seeing Wes is always a pleasure! Plus, he brought me some really cool t-shirts - one which I wore on Tuesday. Wes' style is definitely one that I can relate to.

That's all for the update for now. I need to check up on Addie, call Maggie's teacher and get some orders processed in the office. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Ok, I have to preference this blog post...

By saying that I've had MAYBE a total of 7 hours of sleep in two days, so - I'm going to blame delirium for this post. But, right now at 2:30 in the morning (Cincinnati time), it's pretty darn funny. We're here in Anaheim and working our tail ends off. BUT, on our way out tonight from booth set-up, we came across a sea of naked mannequins. Emily and I couldn't resist - we had to take some pictures.

I'm not kidding!


I couldn't believe what I saw!


Some photos are just NOT for public viewing...Oh - by the way - I asked him if he knew where Nick Lachey was.


Emily had to get in on the action.


Fortunately, in our booth, we will be fully clothed. So, no worries there! LOL! I'm sure these guys will be dressed tomorrow. I sure hope so because there is quite a draft in the convention center!

Finally, we get back to our room tonight and Emily lets down her hair. Or, should I say - mane of existence. I couldn't tell if I was with my friend Emily or in a White Snake video. This chick was MADE for the 80's. It's the end of the day, we've been working our tail ends off and Em's hair is well...I'll just leave it at that. (I can't think of a clever White Snake song right now or else I'd write the lyrics in here...)



(David Coverdale has a sister and her name is Emily...)

Getting ready for CHA...

I always start getting sad at about this time. I hate leaving my kids and Scott while I go out of town. It just makes me sad because I'm worried I'll miss something while I'm gone. This trip, I'm actually missing quite a bit. Maggie has an awards ceremony at school on Friday morning and she and Scott are both doing their belt testing on Saturday. I'm missing all of that.

So, I have to start getting ready. Tonight will be laundry and packing since we leave at about 6:00 am on Thursday. I'll pick up Laura at her apartment and we'll drive out to Indianapolis to catch our flight. We'll be flying into LAX - and the excitement for me is going to IKEA. I can't wait - have never been to one but we're supposed to get one in 2008. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed on that one!

Anyway - here's Addie on Sunday. She was sitting in her chair eating puff corn. (Her favorite thing in the world is cheese puff corn) Can't do a post without a photo! (Maggie was watching Happy Feet with her grandparents!)

Totally Dated - Are you?

Here's the last peek I have (unless I post more in-depth photos of some of the embellishments) but this is from the Project Essentials line that Emily and I collaborated on. I can't say this enough - our collaboration has been SUCH a joy for me. I've found someone that's the Yin to my Yang. Or, the yang to her yin. Whatever. But, we work well together.

This is Totally Dated. It's our Calendar sister line to the Office Supplied. I really think that the industry needed blank calendar pages - different sizes, as well as other date items to mark photos, etc.




The cardstock stickers have both full dates and then these cute little circular date markers - both quirky and traditional words. They're also great for cards and all sorts of things. Plus, the photo corners are perfect for dating your projects - I love to use photo corners and I realized that nobody has ever put dates or years on them. Why not? It's perfect for dating your layouts, etc. So often I look at an older layout and I can't remember when it was - I have to guess how old Maggie was. Well, I hope that products like this help eliminate that confusion.

When Em and I developed the entire Project Essentials line, what we wanted was for scrappers to get some fun product that's easy to use and is affordable. I hope that we have achieved our goal!

Here they are...

My CHA Releases. It's been a long three months - lots of things to do, lots of things going on and now - here they are! I have to say - I'm really excited about them. It's a different direction for me - one that I've been wanting to take for a while now. I wanted to do something a little more "froo-froo" and I also wanted to do some vintage stuff. I think I have the best of both worlds right now and it's nice - I'm getting to express myself a bit more.

As You Wish


Get Into My Car


I wanted to take a moment and tell you why I did what I did on some of these lines. With As You Wish -I had been wanting to play with a different direction for a while. I also (as I had mentioned in the IP Blog) wanted to do a line that was centered around a "Book of Me" approach. Something that would inspire a scrapper to fill things out about themselves. What's nice is that the embellishments can be used for other people too. (If you're scrapping your child, etc.) I think the labels are my favorite - probably because I love filling out questions.



The "Get Into My Car" (anyone know the movie by the way?) line was something that I had been wanting to do for a while. I wanted that vintage "Garage" looking car line but with more primary colors. For three shows now, I have been trying to figure out how to incorporate primary colors into a line and could never do it. Finally - it clicked. Or, at least in my mind I like to think that it clicked. I LOVE street signs - any way they come and the stickers in the line make me happy! LOVE these!



I'm also pretty excited about the coasters - it is sort of "me". Quirky and fun and a little out of the norm. I envisioned people being able to use these in a "tongue-in-cheek" sort of way. Besides, Old School is one of my favorite movies and I had to do a coaster with that in there!



Finally - I have to tell you about Project Essentials. Emily (Adams) and I collaborated on this effort. It was a meeting of the minds that has really opened me up artistically. I definitely am a more "straight-laced" person when it comes to fonts, etc. Emily likes stuff that's all over the place. What's funny is that we began to see traits of each other as this line was coming together. We thought about items that we would want to use when scrapbooking and that's how it all came to be. Each and every piece was carefully thought out - down to minute details. Here are some rough peeks of Office Supplied. It's a line that's full of fun products that resemble office supplies. After a particularly hectic day, Emily made me the sticker that said "Bang Head Here". I'm sure we've all had days like that. Might as well scrap them.




I'd love to hear your thoughts. Enjoy!

Maybe I'm Emerging...

First off...I want to thank EVERYONE who has been so sweet and sending me sweet thoughts, prayers, etc. I really didn't realize how many people care - and I thank you for letting me know that you care. It really means a lot and can really bring a girl out of her funk.

I think I'm starting to see a little bit of light emerge. Possibly. Seems like some of the weights are lifting up a bit. I sure hope so, because these shoulders can only hold so much. My mom always says "Don't pray for a lighter load, pray for a stronger back." I've been doing that - but the lighter load would help!

CHA is coming around the corner. In about 9 days I'm leaving for an 8 day stint in Anaheim. For some reason, I don't look forward to the travel like I used to. Oh well...some things I guess you just have to do. BUT, I am looking forward to seeing a lot of my friends. The Junkitz girls will be right next to us and of course all of our designers that are coming in. I just LOVE meeting up with those girls. And, I get to see Em again. I wish she lived here. She of course would disagree with me -she likes Dallas just fine. But, lately it's been warmer in Cincinnati than Dallas. So, I think she should move here! (Hear that Emily?)

Laura's going with us. I miss her terribly. They laugh and say that I'm in mourning here at the office. I am. It's sad. It's not a laughing matter. (Ok - maybe it is considering how pathetic I am) I miss Barb. At least I get to talk to her every morning. Thank God for Verizon mobile to mobile.

Things on the home front are good. Scott and Maggie are gearing up for their next belt testing, so it's a lot of Tae Kwon Do classes. We're finally working on reorganizing my scrap room. Little bits at a time. I didn't realize how much stuff I own! I really need to get to scrapping so that I can use a bunch of it.

Anyway- I hate to do blog posts without photos, so here are a few. My girls - aren't they just adorable? I'm having these photos blown up to 20x30 for posters above my mantle. For a year I've been debating what I want to put there. They shipped from Costco last Thursday so I'm hoping they'll be at the house today. I got the idea from a pottery barn catalog. Scott picked out the photos. They weren't ones I would have chosen, but I went with them anyway. (I wanted something more "artsy" but I think he did good.)

His picks: (Although - I gotta give my man credit - he did great because they both are wearing stripes)

Hoping for a light...

I know it's been a while since I posted on the blog. I've had a lot of things going on and unfortunately, few of them are great things to post about other than my kids and my husband. We had a nice Christmas. The girls are way too spoiled and they loved spending time with their family. Even Addison got into opening gifts, but I think it was just because she wanted to eat the wrapping paper. She's growing so fast - I keep telling her to slow down. She's moving all over these days and standing against furniture and her exersaucer. Her new favorite thing is pulling everything out of one of her toy baskets and putting it back in. Or, throwing it I should say. That kid has a thing about throwing her toys. She loves it. We laugh about it until one of her roly balls comes whizzing past our head, but it's still funny to watch this little tiny peanut throw her toys.

Maggie is back in school and has a new love of chewing gum. The kid has to chew gum 24/7. It's the first thing she does when she gets up in the morning and we make her spit it out before going to bed. I bought an entire case of sugar-free Trident yesterday at Costco and had to tell her to make it last - I bet she goes through the ten packs before the end of next week.

On the other fronts, I'm just getting ready for the show coming up and dealing with some other stuff. I don't do details, but if you are the praying sort, please add me to your list sometime. Nothing major, just pray that I find the light at the end of the tunnel.

Finally, a few pictures of my girls at Christmas. God I love them!