Can anything BE more precious?

Look at her long little toes! I can't wait until she comes home and I can do a photo shoot with her all squeaky clean and smelling like Baby Magic. (Don't you just LOVE that smell?)

On my pregnancy front, the doctor basically told me that I need to SLOW DOWN. I went for my 24 week appointment yesterday and I've been having more than your average number of Braxton Hicks contractions. I'm so worried about it but she told me to reduce as much stress as I can and avoid a lot of physical things. I'm taking her advice to heart. I want to have a healthy baby and I need to focus on that.

So here's to one precious baby girl and another to follow! :)

Ginger

I'm a Great Auntie!!!!

Here is me and my great niece - Ryan. She was born this morning at 2:43 and she's doing GREAT! I was there for everything and am just madly in love with her. She's an absolute sweetheart!



My niece was amazing. She had a 15 hour labor and delivered Ryan on the first push. I am SO proud of her!

I'll post more photos soon. :)

I vowed I wouldn't do it...

There have been a lot of things that I swore I'd never do. Two of them have happened in the past two days: 1) I vowed I'd never spend the $$$ to buy Maggie an American Girl doll and 2) I said that I wouldn't do black Friday again. Boy did I lie!

Let's start with Thursday. There is a thread on 2Peas including a coupon code for 10% off of an AG doll. Couple that with the fact that the catalog arrived on WEDNESDAY (what timing on the part of the AG people) and the fact that my husband's snotty cousin mentioned that her daughter has TWO of them, and there you have it. Armed with my bank card, a code and a catalog that my daughter managed to dog-ear in less than 10 minutes, I broke. I crumbled. So, $90 later, here we have it:



I was going to order Marisol for her but went with the doll that looks like her. I figure she can name her what she wants and then I'll put her in a protective glass case surrounded by laser lights that will trigger an alarm should she attempt to play with her. Ok - maybe I won't be THAT bad about the doll but you can bet your sweet butt that we're going to have a talk about proper "doll playing". (I could show you photos of Cabbage Patch dolls covered in make-up, ink, etc.)

Secondly, I said I wouldn't do Black Friday. Seriously - it's a nutso idea. Why in the world would you get up at 5:00 am and go shopping when you can probably get a lot of the same deals later in the day? Who knows - but I did it. I planned to head out with my cousin, Lorrie and my husband was supposed to go but ate a bit too much on Turkey day and stayed home. Off Lorrie and I went at 5:30 to Target - one that I considered more "remote" but was crowded nonetheless. We waited until they opened the doors to even get out and go in. Believe it or not, the crowd wasn't that bad - except in the toy department. But, I managed to finagle my way through and scored some awesome stuff for Maggie - this really cool Barbie writing tablet that's electronic ($23), a bunch of family games, Bratz babies, more Barbie crap, etc. I also bought her a DVD player for her room, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and this really cool Fisher Price thing that has a camera and Kids Bop. They can sing with the wireless mic and watch themselves on TV. If you know my daughter, you'll know that Fisher Price created this toy JUST FOR HER. The kid is a total "entertainer", so I bought the kit and an extra cartridge. I figure she can entertain her baby sister when she gets older. LOL!

We're spending the day now getting ready for the holidays and fixing a leaky pipe under our sink. I just LOVE being a home owner - NOT!

Battle along the I-74 Corridor

Hear those Bengals growling...

Ok - so they growled but not loud enough. But, it was a good game. Nothing like 65,000 die hard football fans. (Ok - 64,999 - I'm not a die hard but I went with my hubby) Had a GREAT time! It's so hard when you're rooting for one team (the Bengals) and yet you absolutely LOVE the QB from the other (Peyton Manning) Alas, the Bengals lost, but they gave it their all.

The best part of the evening was probably Chad Johnson writing out a sign to his fellow agent-mate, T.O. (For the record, I think they should wire T.O.'s mouth shut) But, I had to laugh when Chad ran over to the sidelines after scoring a touchdown and wrote a sign "T.O. - I get you baby". (Or, something like that)

Of course, I'm sure this morning Chad has a different tune:



Chad - we get ya baby!

Then I was bummed because we had these EXCELLENT seats and I didn't bring my camera. This is the kind of shot that I missed!



Ok - maybe not EXACTLY like this but I could had had some great shots of Peyton, Chad, Carson, etc.

Finally, I'll have to post a photo of Maggie wearing her Bengals beanie hat. She thought she was "too cool for school" this morning when she got out of the car with it on. I'm sure she's trying to impress her man "Jacob". (She about died yesterday when we drove past his house and he was outside tossing a football with some other boys) I'm sure she'll have stories for me today!

Getting ready for Addie...

Well, after weeks of debate and numerous mini-arguments, Scott and I have finally agreed on a name for our little one: Addison Jane. :)

We're going to call her "Addie" which was my grandmother's name. My mom is actually the one saying that we don't have to name our children after family members, but my background is very southern, and in our tradition children are named after family members. So, we're sticking with it. I was hesitant at first but I've agreed on Addison and we've actually started calling her that. (Especially when she scoots all the way over to the right side of my belly and sticks out her butt!)

I also scored the cutest crib set on e-bay!



It arrived yesterday and I'm in LOVE! I can't wait until we get the room painted and her crib put up so that I can see what this looks like. We'll probably put the crib up closer to February but for now, I have her little set just waiting. Maggie thought it was really cool - she's so into being the big sister!

On a side note - going to the Bengals/Colts game on Sunday. Wish me luck - a pregnant woman trouncing through a crowd of 65,000. Who-freakin' Dey baby!!!!

I've been tagged!

Amazing - two blog posts in one day! :) I realized that I've been tagged by my good friend, Stacey, who owns Junkitz for a blog quiz. (Junkitz ROCKS by the way!) So, I figured I'd better fill this out before Stacey kicks my butt! LOL!

names you go by

1.Ginger

2.Mommy

2 parts of your heritage

1. Hillbilly (hey- that's what my mom says!)

2. English (maiden name was Hasty)

2 things that scare you

1. Spiders - EEK!

2. Death (it's so permanent)

2 of your everyday essentials

1. A little caffeine either in the form of chocolate or Mt. Dew (see - told you I was part hillbilly)

2. Noxema

2 things you are wearing right now

1. CKU Sweatshirt (it still fits me even though I'm 5 1/2 months pregnant)

2. My khaki pants from Motherhood that I paid an arm and a leg for.

2 of your favorite bands or musical artists (at the moment)

1. The Killers (LOVE me some Brandon Flowers!)

2. Green Day (Ok - so I have a thing for men with eyeliner!)

2 favorite songs (at the moment)

1. All these things I've done (Killers)

2. Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Green Day)

2 things you want in a relationship (other than real love)

1. Trust

2. Honesty

2 truths

1. I have ugly feet

2. I think that the Blue Collar Comedy Hour is HILARIOUS! (Back to the hillbilly thing)

2 physical things that appeal to you (in the opposite sex)

1. eyes

2. they have to be funny - ok - not physical but I have this strange attraction to Kevin James and I think it's because he's so darn funny!

2 of your favorite hobbies (besides scrapbooking??)

1. photography

2. sitting on my butt watching tv - especially 80's movies.

2 things you want really badly

1. to be a SAHM or a WAHM.

2. to have enough money that I don't have to worry about my family or how we're going to make ends meet.

2 places you want to go on vacation

1. Alaska

2. Hawaii - to visit my friend Rosemary.

2 things you want to do before you die

1. See my daughters get married

2. Spend a week on vacation alone with my husband

2 ways that you are stereotypically a dude/chick

1. I cry at sappy chick flicks. (The Notebook and Steel Magnolias are faves)

2. I hate to pump my own gas

2 things you are thinking about now

1. All of the baby gear I need to get

2. What colors are my third paper line going to be?

2 stores you shop at

1. Target

2. TJ Maxx

So, there's my answers to the blog quiz. :) I'm going to tag Heather Preckel and Barb Hogan for this one! Enjoy girls!!!

These are always so fun!!!

An Eventful Weekend

Ever have one of those weekends that is chocked full of events, but still seems pretty low-key? That was this weekend.

Friday night we had to take Zelda, our husky, to her new home. Ever since Maggie's reactive airway atack, four doctors have advised that we find new homes for our pets. Zelda was our biggest concern because she was 7 and we've had her since birth and it tore us up just thinking about it. Then - we met the family. They were wonderful people. They already had 1 Siberian and their grandmother was always home with the dogs when the family was at school or work. They had a beautiful house and a nice yard and they were so loving. Zelda took to them right away while we were there. I was amazed. It was as if she "knew" what needed to be done. I cried a little on the way home but I also felt good. We can come and see her whenever we want and I know that she's with good people. I can't wait to see her again!

Then, on Saturday we decided to break down and register for baby items. It's been over 5 years since we've had a baby in the house and my friends were talking about having a shower, so Scott and I decided to run up to Target and pick out a few items.



Can I just tell you how much I LOVE this store? We had been to Babies R Us but everything was so pricey. We went to Target and they had everything we needed and it was WAY more affordable. I tried not to scan too much but that little scanner gun is just a MAGNET for cute stuff! I think we did pretty well and I'm going to start saving now to buy some of the gear. It's nice because it's like a list that you can follow and cross things off as you get them. Plus, Scott's parents wanted a Christmas list from us and baby gear is what we needed. Maggie got to pick out a lot of the stuff - she loved the butterflies on the swing. I also LOVE having her be a part of everything going on with her sister. She told me this weekend that she's going to "pay so much attention to this baby - she's going to be spoiled". I hope that she remembers that once the crying bundle of joy is here! LOL!

Finally on Sunday my nephew moved out. It was time. He's 19 and needs some parental guidance. More than I can give him because I can't discipline him the way his mom or dad could. My house is sure quiet without Kris, Zelda and Lucy there. (We took Lucy to her new family on Thursday - a WONDERFUL young couple!) I didn't know what to do this morning because it was so quiet. Scott told me to wait a few months and that will all change. He's probably right!

Oh - and one final note - Scott got a written warning for speeding. I told him that I wouldn't let him live it down because we're always fighting in the car over how fast he drives. He got pulled over yesterday and given a lecture from the cop. I told him he had better be glad I wasn't in the car or I would have begged the office to give him a ticket to prove my point. HA! I think the cop proved it anyway. :)

Back to work. Monday sucks.

G

Got some photos...

Finally uploaded some of my photos from the past few weeks. I LOVE being digital - but sometimes I'm too lazy to upload/develop/print the photos. But, I had some time on Friday night and ran over to Costco to get things taken care of. LOVE that place!

Anyway, here's how my poor little pumpkin spent her Halloween...



I was so scared last Monday when they admitted her with the breathing problems. She had a reactive airway attack (similar to asthma) and missed Trick or Treating plus a few days of school. Everyone at Children's was so wonderful to her, though. They truly made it a better experience!

She's doing a LOT better now and is playing, running around, etc. We've had to make some changes in our family (the doctor recommended that we give our pets new homes). It's killing us to have to do it but we're doing what's best for Maggie, so that's what we've been doing this week.

On a more positive note - here's my friend Kate and I in NYC almost 2 weeks ago. I have ALWAYS wanted to see Times Square and thought it was fun but definitely busy!



Then, there is this photo of my niece and I. She's due with a baby girl on December 9th and I'm due with a baby girl on March 19th. Her first pregnancy - my 2nd, which is what I tell myself when I see how our bellies compare.



Finally, a photo of me with the love of my life. Gotta love those goofy "hold the camera out" shots. Poor Scott - puts up with my mood swings - he's a trooper. Sweetie - I know you read my blog- I love you! :) (Of course, ask me how I feel about him when I'm about 8 cm dialated and in labor transition)



Happy Monday everyone!

It's a....

GIRL!!!! We are SO excited to announce that we're having a little girl! Maggie is so stoked to be having a little sister!



I have to be honest. This little one definitely had me baffled. I thought for sure that I was having a boy because this pregnancy was so different! But, it's a little girl and we couldn't be happier. We just prayed for a healthy baby!

On another note, sorry for no recent blog updates. We spent the first three days this week in the hospital with Maggie. She had an airway attack (sort of like an asthma attack) and we were there trying to get her oxygen saturation levels back up. She's doing well now and is back in school. (Kids are so resilient!) If you could, please keep her in your prayers that she gets better and that there are no more attacks!

By the way - we skipped the concert last week. Too cold and rainy! In exchange, I promised Maggie we'd take her to see Green Day. It's amazing the negotiating skills my 5 year old has!

In any event, she's happy and excited to be having a little sister. We don't have a definite name picked out although Maggie and I are both pushing for Mallory. :) (Scott - if you're reading this - take note sweetie - we want MALLORY!) Of course, all of my friends laugh because Maggie is like Maggie Seaver from Growing Pains and Mallory is like Mallory Keaton from Family Ties. NO - it's not intentional but funny nonetheless. :)

G

Brrrr.....

Ok - it's cold here in Cincinnati. When I say cold, I mean COLD! We pretty much SKIPPED over fall weather. (blah!) We've gone from high temps and shorts to freezing temps and down jackets. With that being said, Scott and I had this bright idea of taking Maggie to her first rock concert a month or two ago. 3 Doors Down was coming to Riverbend (in case you're not familiar with Cincinnati, Riverbend is exactly that - a stage next to the river!) and the tickets were pretty affordable, so we decided to make this her first concert. Besides they're a rockin' band!



But, it's going to be about 40 degrees this evening. YIKES! So, I guess Maggie won't get to hear much of the concert since I'll have her bundled like Ralphie in A Christmas Story. But, I'm hoping for a fun evening! Maybe we'll miraculously get a heat wave between now and 7:30. Ya think?

I've got soul but I'm not a soldier

Well, it's about time I got out of this funk. This hormonal driven funk that basically left me with little ambition to create. UGH! But, this morning, I decided to do something about it. I cranked one of my favorite CD's - Hot Fuss. I can only hope that The Killers release a sophomore album as great as this.



I was heartbroken because I arrived TWO DAYS after the Killers played in Vegas. You have to understand my infatuation with Brandon Flowers. Don't get me wrong, I love my husband, but you know that list that they created on "Friends"? Yes - he's at the top of mine. I don't care that he's 5 years my junior. If Demi can have Ashton (ALSO on my list) then I can add Brandon to mine! Ask some of the girls that were with me - every time we were in a cab, I was asking if they had seen him, knew where I could find them, etc. They're from Vegas - I figured what better time to hunt them down then while there. Alas, I never saw him. :(

However, look at him... MEOW!



Ok - Killers set aside, I have to say that I absolutely LOVE the girls I work with. The design team is FAB! We all went to dinner on Tuesday night (with me GREEN at the gills with morning sickness that has decided to show up in the EVENING). Here we are at the fountains in front of the Belagio. (Borrowed from Becky's blog!)



Can I just say that they should NEVER do the fountains set to "My Heart Will Go On" with a pregnant lady in the audience that just watched Titanic a week before? Yes - full blown tears. It was awful. I felt like a total dork, but I'm emotional anyway and now I cry at the drop of a hat. Why couldn't they have played a fun song? Nope - gotta do a sappy song that reminds me of some poor guy that freezes to death in the middle of the ocean. Insert big "L" on my forehead. But, the fountains were cool to see!

That's all for now. Gotta run and pack kits for 400 students for next week and get some creativity flowing. It's about darn time!

Call it hormones...

call it whatever you want. For the past week, I've been hit with this feeling of "what am I doing?" I wonder if it's the right path for me. I kept worrying that the real reason why I scrapbook was getting lost. It was all becoming business and the meaning was no where to be found. I wondered if I was doing the right things, creating the right things, etc. Then, I came across a layout that was so profound to me that I sat at my desk and cried.

We just received a copy of "Your Scrapbook. Your Story" by Memory Makers. I was flipping through it when I came to page 63 and a layout by Polly McMillan. It's titled New Beginnings and it showcases a photo of toothbrushes. The toothbrushes were the first thing to catch my eye. I read the journaling and my heart sank. I began to cry because I put myself in her lonliness after divorce. It was SO profound that I can't even describe it. I thought about my husband's toothbrush sitting in the medicine cabinet and how I move it every day to get to my own. I wondered how I would handle things if it weren't there. I cried some more. I felt for her. I don't know her but I felt for her. My heart bled for her. It was then that I realized that what we do is right. Scrapbooking is right. It celebrates, remembers, heals. It's time to become refocused again.

Back

and exhausted. VERY exhausted. I spent four days in Vegas literally green at the gills. I thought my morning sickness was gone but I was wrong. VERY WRONG. So, if you saw me there and I seemed less than chipper, I apologize. I was just trying not to throw up at any given moment. To say the least, the trip was not pleasant for me. Makes me reconsider my trip in January. I'm not sure I'll be able to handle it considering I'll be nearly 35 weeks pregnant by then. We'll see...

I've just had a bad week. Blah...

Thank you!!

Everyone for your wonderful posts about the new paper. I hope that ya'll like them. :) I was really nervous about this show because it will mark the 1 year anniversary that my paper line has been out in the industry. It just doesn't seem like it's been that long. But then, I hope and pray that it will last even longer.

I have to be honest, I'm a bit sad about leaving my family for a few days. The further along I get in my pregnancy, the more homesick I become. I guess it's hormones (although I've always been a homebody) but it seems to be getting worse. I'm already teary thinking about leaving Maggie for a few days, even though she will be TOTALLY fine and my family and her daddy will spoil her. But, it's just the thought that I'm missing her first field trip, and I can't take her to school in the mornings, etc. Oh well...I guess it's just the ramblings of a pregnant lady.

Did I mention that we're getting THE BIG ULTRASOUND on the 1st? I am SO excited! We're dying to know what we're having. Doesn't matter either way, we're just praying for a healthy baby, but I'd love to be able to buy gender specific stuff. Can't wait!

I'll be back after Memory Trends! Wish me luck!

Ginger

New Stuff!

Wanna see some new stuff????






Hope you like it! :)

PS - for those of you that Spam - SHAME ON YOU!!!!

Scott turned 30

on Saturday. We had a nice dinner with some friends and that was about it for celebrating. I just can't believe he's 30! When I met him, he was 19 - we were just kids. Now, we're these married "adults" and sometimes I still feel like we're the kids. What's so great about him is that he's funny, a total hottie, and the best dad. (Even when we argue over how to discipline Maggie)

What's awful is that I forgot to bring my camera and therefore didn't get ANY pictures! I could stick my head in the mud over that one. Ever since I became pregnant, it's like all the wiring in my brain doesn't quite function. I forgot to bring my camera to events, I haven't had any scrappin' mojo, and I'm lucky to know which day of the week it is. LOL! Oh well...it's all worth it.

On another note, Friday night I went scrapping with some friends. It was the first time that I've been to a crop (where I wasn't working) in over a year. It felt so good to just hang out, laugh with the girls, work on some stuff and relax. We promised to do it monthly so I hope we stick to it. There is a group of about 6 of us - me, Barb, Jamie, Tina, Kim, and Chris. It was a great time!!!

That's about all. I feel like I should always say something sensational in my blog but truthfully - my life is pretty boring right now. We're gearing up for Memory Trends and that's consuming most of my attention as well as CKU Stamford. I'll be glad to have a break for a while. I'm not going to be doing CKU's for some time due to the baby, etc. That'll be a nice change of pace.

The wonderful thing about scrapbooking

is that you make some amazing friends! I was talking to my good friend, Barb Hogan, this morning and she was telling me to stop by her blog. Normally I check it every day but yesterday I was a bit swamped and didn't have a chance to jump online. So, the first thing I did this morning was hop online and check it out and I nearly cried. 1) Because Barb said some wonderful things about me and she is one of my dearest friends and 2) Because she posted photos of me with the "napkin boobs". It's a long story but imagine 10 scrappers crammed into a van then going out to Julio's for dinner in Chicago. Yes - things got a bit crazy. :) So, in the spirit of Barb's blog, I'm posting about the special people I've met through this hobby - Barb included.



Here we are in Chicago. I just don't know what I'd do without these girls. Barb is on the right and she is one of the most amazing people I know. The woman OOZES creativity. I've never seen anything like it. I always tell her when I grow up, I want to be Barb Hogan. She has a heart of gold!

There are so many of my other friends here. Kim, Jane, Renee, Terri, Janice, Sara, etc. I love them all!

Being goofy definitely is a requirement of my friends. LOL!



Kim and Jane are so funny! I met Jane online because her last name was my maiden name, so we figure we're related somewhere down the line. Kim and I met two years ago at a local store and we've been great friends ever since. They absolutely crack me up!

The one girl that I don't have a photo of here in the office is Tina. She's another friend I've made through scrapbooking. We started working together over a year ago and now we've moved on and still work together. She's funny, makes me totally crack up and she's caring. Can't get much better than that! Love ya T!

Then there is Teresa and Sarah. (Talk about a long blog post)



Teresa is one of my best friends in the industry. She is genuine, would do anything for you, and is SUPER talented. Sarah is fun, creative, and totally cracks me up. Here we all are when I told them that I was pregnant. They are just wonderful, wonderful people!

Finally, there is Emily Adams. I don't have a photo of Em with me, either. :( Emily is another person that is caring, wonderful, and fun to be around. (Oh, and I can't forget Kate, too!)

I guess I've just met too many wonderful people in this industry to mention. I feel horrible that I might have forgot someone. (Sort of like those speeches that actors give) LOL! But, to all of my friends - know that I ADORE you.

Ginger

Maggie has a crush!

It's so funny! She's been talking about this boy in class named "Jacob S." and she blushes every time I ask about him. She's been in Kindergarten all of 1 month and already has a crush. Anyway, today I got to meet "Jacob S." We were standing in line waiting for her to go into the classroom and this boy rushes by and he has a cast. (Maggie mentioned that he had broke his arm) He hollers "HI MAGGIE!!!" as he goes by and I can see Maggie turn about 10 shades of red. I bent down and asked her who it was. (I KNEW - Mom's know these sorts of things!) She whispers "Jacob S." and looks away from me. LOL! I was like "Oh...he's cute" and let her go.

I remember my own Jacob S. Although, he was Jason, but the older I got, the more I realized "ICK". LOL! This boy was cute, though. The type of kid that's going to be popular. He had spikey blonde hair and was very friendly. I'd say she's done well for her first school crush. :)

WOW!

I haven't blogged in nearly two weeks. I guess I just didn't have a lot to say. Well, actually, I DO, but not things that I should probably share on a public blogging forum. LOL! Lots of things have been going on, plus I just finished CKU in Kansas City.

On a positive note, I am about 90% finished with the new stuff for Memory Trends. I cannot wait until the show where I can see my friends. That's one awesome thing about this business - you make friends that are near and dear. For me, it's Emily, Kate and Teresa. I would have been SO LONELY in Kansas without them. They made me laugh, cheered me up when I was upset, and we had a great time! Thanks girls!!! :)

From the homestead, things are looking good. Maggie has been in Kindergarten for a few weeks now and she's loving it. It's the getting her up in the mornings that is the worst part. She's a lot like her daddy. Doesn't want to get up and doesn't want to eat breakfast. She cracks me up. Then, of course, every morning isn't complete unless we listen to one of the Kids Bop CD's. Who invented those anyway?

Scott applied for another job within his company. I sure hope he gets it. It will be a lot less physical labor on him. Plus, he might have more time to finish his degree. In any event, I just want to see him happy.

Finally, I want to give out a few overdue "Thank You"s. At the last CKU I received some wonderful baby gifts from Emily, Meg and Michelle. This CKU, I got a gorgeous box from Micki Smith. Thank you ladies for being so wonderful! :) I didn't have your addresses, or else I would have sent you a note. But, I wanted to tell you "thanks". Your sweetness did not go unnoticed!

I better get back to finalizing the papers. Gotta finish naming them. That's the hard part sometimes. LOL!

Ginger

Simply Heartbroken

For a few days now, all I keep thinking about is the devastation in Louisiana and Mississippi. I keep thinking about Jlyne Hanback and the sight that she came home to. I keep thinking about what I can do as a person and what Imagination Project can do as a company. I've talked to a few people to try and set something up - to raise money, awareness, compassion.

I can't even imagine - I can't even BEGIN to imagine. All I can do is pray. Pray that it will never happen here, pray that those who are affected can find peace and solace and rebuild, pray for their health for it sounds like things are very dangerous from a biological standpoint. I pray for the animals that were left behind, the families that lost loved ones, and those still waiting to hear.

I'm heartbroken. Simply heartbroken.