What am I doing here?

Wow this year is flying by!

2006-08-01T08:26:00.000-07:00

It's already August 1st. It's so hard to believe that my little baby girl will be a full year old in a month. That makes me so sad. There will be no more after her, 3 is all I can handle! Tyler finally got to come and visit. It was so great to see him and spend time with him. He has changed so much in the 15 months since I last saw him. He has matured a lot (obviously) and it was sad to see how much he has grown up. I won't get to see him again until March. That seems so far away right now though. He was awesome while he was here though. He and I made a scrapbook for him to take home. It's full of older pictures of all of us and some newer pictures from this summer. He has lots of pictures of his sisters and mom now.

We have made a big change to our kits this month. Rather than having one large kit we'll be having two smaller kits. Each kit is $18 or you can buy them both for $35. Our altered kit for this month is up and shipping. Shannah did an amazing job putting this kit together. The 7 Gypsies paper is beautiful!

Ginger Rohlfs is going to be our guest designer for August and we're having a live chat with her on August 15th at 8:00 pm CST. I am so excited for this. We've set up a real time chat room so we can actually "chat" instead of posting messages and waiting for responses. We'll have lots of prizes to give away and probably even a few kits!

Post and a challenge!

2006-06-22T04:38:00.000-07:00

I finally get my kiddos back this weekend! I'm so happy those 5 weeks are over. I have definitely missed my little chatterbox! And Tyler - oh my I haven't seen him in 15 MONTHS! I am so ready for Saturday to get here!

1. FIRST NAME? Laura
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? No
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Last night
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? No
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Oscar Meyer Smoked Ham
6. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Yes, 3 of them
7. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Absolutely - I'm so much fun!
8. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? Yes, my blog!
9. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? With just about every sentence that comes out of my mouth.
10. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes
11. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Not a chance
13. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Nope
14. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Physically and mentally, yes. Emotionally, no.
15. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Blue Bell Rocky Road
16. SHOE SIZE? 10
17. RED OR PINK? Pink
18. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Physically, my baby gut. Emotionally, my inability to get upset without crying.
19. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My son Tyler
20. WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN? March 18, 1979
21. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? None - just got out of bed
22. WHAT IS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Just ate a bowl of Cheerios
23. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? My daughter suck on her bottle
24 IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Gray
25. FAVORITE SMELL? Vanilla candles
26. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED WITH ON THE PHONE? My husband
27. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU MEET? If they have untamed facial hair
28. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?. Nope
29. FAVORITE DRINK? Water
30. FAVORITE SPORT? None
31. HAIR COLOR? Strawberry Blonde
32. EYE COLOR? I have one blue eye and one brown eye
33. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No, glasses
34. FAVORITE FOOD? Chicken Alfredo from Olive Garden
35. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING? Happy Ending
36. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Raising Helen
37. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? White cotten nightshirt
38. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter
39. HUGS OR KISSES? Kisses
40. FAVORITE DESSERT? Chocolate Cake
41. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? None at the moment
42. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Don't have one
43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? The quiet
44. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Rolling Stones
45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? 1300 miles when I went to Las Vegas
46. IF YOU COULD PICK ANY TWO PEOPLE TO HAVE DINNER WITH, WHO WOULD
THEY BE? George Bush and my son Tyler

What muppet are you?

2006-06-04T21:04:00.000-07:00

You Are Kermit

Hi, ho! Lovable and friendly, you get along well with everyone you know.
You're a big thinker, and sometimes you over think life's problems.
Don't worry - everyone know's it's not easy being green.
Just remember, time's fun when you're having flies!

The Muppet Personality Test

2006-06-03T20:32:00.000-07:00

Advanced Global Personality Test Results

Extraversion	\|\|	10%
Stability	\|\|\|\|\|\|	23%
Orderliness	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	63%
Accommodation	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	76%
Interdependence	\|\|\|\|	16%
Intellectual	\|\|	10%
Mystical	\|\|	10%
Artistic	\|\|	10%
Religious	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	36%
Hedonism	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	43%
Materialism	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	76%
Narcissism	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	43%
Adventurousness	\|\|	10%
Work ethic	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	56%
Self absorbed	\|\|\|\|	16%
Conflict seeking	\|\|	10%
Need to dominate	\|\|	10%

Romantic	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	50%
Avoidant	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	70%
Anti-authority	\|\|\|\|\|\|	23%
Wealth	\|\|	10%
Dependency	\|\|	10%
Change averse	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	90%
Cautiousness	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	76%
Individuality	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	43%
Sexuality	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	90%
Peter pan complex	\|\|	10%
Physical security	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	90%
Physical Fitness	\|\|	10%
Histrionic	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	56%
Paranoia	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	83%
Vanity	\|\|	10%
Hypersensitivity	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	90%
Female cliche	\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|	70%

Take Free Advanced Global Personality Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

Lets talk about faith

2006-06-03T19:50:00.000-07:00

Oh boy this is a hard one for me!

It has taken a lot for me to have faith in a higher power. I didn't grow up in a religious household. In fact, I have only been inside of a church a couple of times. With all of the crappy things that have happened in my life over the past few years it was really hard for me to believe that there is a higher power. I have realized over the past year that just because the things that you want to happen don't, doesn't mean that there isn't someone up there listening to you.

It's very hard to keep your faith when every time you turn around your slamming into some brick wall. I had my kids taken from me by their father. He had no right to take them, but he did just the same. Even though he did this, there was nothing I could do to get them back without going to court which was taking months. I had just gotten married to a man that I didn't love. He blamed me for what happened, I blamed myself. I was angry and hurt by all of the things that happened in that short amount of time. Why did God let this happen? Why did God take my kids from me? Why did God let me marry a man that I had no desire to be with? Why did God do this to me? Then all of a sudden I realized...God DIDN'T! I did all of these things to myself. I allowed my ex to come to my house and visit the kids. I allowed him to take them for dinner without even thinking twice about it...because I wanted a break from being a mommy. I am the one that married my husband even though I knew deep down that it was wrong. I am the one that did all of these things to me. God was just there waiting for me to realize the mistakes that I was making. Once I realized this, things have changed. I got my daughter back. No, I don't have both of my children right now, but I'm working on that. I have become pro-active in my childrens' life rather than sitting back and wishing I could be out having fun. And now I'm trying to get my marraige figured out. It's been three years now (in fact today is our anniversary). No, I still don't love him like a woman should love her husband. But, we have a daughter now and I am limited in my choices. I always told myself that once I got married I would stay married regardless. Wedding vows are important to me, but is it worth it to be unhappy for the rest of my life? Is it worth it for my children to grow up seeing me unhappy? Is it worth it for me to spend years and years wondering what my life could have been like "if only..."? I don't know? All I do know is that I pray about it every night. I pray that God will show me the direction that I'm supposed to go in. It may take weeks, it may take months, it may even take years; but I know that one day I will know the right answer. So even with all of the bad things that have happened, there has been even more good. I have a beautiful new baby girl, I have a brand new business doing what I love the most, I have my daughter back and am working hard on getting my son. I have a job, a home, a car.

So, in answer to the questions for this blog challenge:
What does faith mean to you? To me, faith is believing not only in yourself, but in the fact that God will never give you more than you can handle. It may seem like a lot and you may feel like you're losing your mind, but once you open your eyes and see that your life is what you make of it then the faith comes easily!
How has your faith grown over the years? It has grown by leaps and bounds. I have now developed a full faith in God. No, I don't have a "denomination" but I don't think that is necessary for faith. God knows what is in your heart and that is all that matters.
Are you a believer in a higher power? Absolutely! I don't know what shape, size, or color He is, but I know He is there!
Do you fully rely on God in your life? Or not? I can't say that I fully rely on him. I know I should but it's very difficult to just turn your life over to a higher power. I am working on it though!

We now have altered kits!

2006-06-03T16:55:00.000-07:00

So we have finally got our altered kits up and available for purchase. These kits are super hot! This month we're doing a 12x12 picture frame for Fathers' Day. We used the new Spiffy papers from Fancy Pants. These just scream "man" to me! Red, green, and blue...perfect for Fathers' Day!

Our June kits are also up and available. These kits are just beautiful. We've mixed the new Restoration line with On the Dot from We R Memory Keepers. We found the new Artsy Doodle rubons from Maisy Mo and just knew
they had to be included! I have always been a fan of WRMK, but these are by far my favorite lines!

We've also added lots of new stuff to the store. We have the entire collection of Artsy Doodle rubons from Maisy Mo, the new doodle stamps from Sassafras Lass and lots more!

Use coupon code BLOGGER to receive 10% off your purchase (including KITS!)

So I had to do it!

2006-05-21T16:30:00.000-07:00

I had to send Ciara to Arizona for the summer. I hated doing it and even stayed home in hopes of him not wanting her like he did last summer. But he did make the trip and when I wasn't there he called his attorney who in turn called mine. Ciara didn't want to go at all. It just kills me that he's doing this. I haven't seen Tyler in over a year and because he's missed the last 2 visits but the first time I do it I'm the bad guy. I just don't get it! He's got criminal charges pending right now, which is the reason I didn't want her to go but none of that matters apparantly. He's facing several years in jail but it's ok to let her go see him. It just breaks my heart to do this to her. His girlfriend called this afternoon to let me know they made it home but she wouldn't let me talk to my kids. One day this will all come back to bite him and I can't wait!

This brings me to the 2peas challenge for today! What emotion do I struggle with? That most definitely has to be anger! I hold a lot of anger in me for my ex and his girlfriend. I don't know how to get it out of me and just let it go. I know there's not a lot I can do about our situation right now. It takes money to fight it and I just simply don't have it right now. This much anger isn't good for anyone and I know that. I just wish I could find a way to let it all go, but I don'tk now how. I know one day everything he has done to my kids and me will come back to him but in the meantime my children have to suffer. My husband has been great most of the time in dealing with this. But he does have his limits and sometimes they just aren't what I want. He wants me to back off and let it all play out. But how do I do that when my children are in limbo? How do I just let it all go when I don't know when or if I'll see my son again? I don't know...but I wish I did!

My brother found me!

2006-05-15T04:23:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it! My mom and dad divorced when I was five and he and my half-brother left...I haven't seen them since. He was 9 at the time. I got a letter in the mail from a private investigator last week saying that she was hired to find me. I called and she gave me his contact info. We've been on the phone every day since! It is amazing to be able to reconnect with him after all these years. He has told me a lot about our dad. He even sent me pictures. I have mixed feelings about our dad and don't know if I want to ever meet him. We'll see how that goes though. We're planning a get together this summer though. He's not married and has no kids so he'll be coming here to see me. I can hardly wait. It's been 22 years since we last saw each other. His birthday is coming up soon...but what do you get someone that you've never met? I've made him a card so far but I doubt I'll get him a gift. I just don't know what to get for him!!

Anyway...onto store news! We've put our May kit on sale this week. You can do a single kit purchase for $35, which is the 6 month subscription price. Look for new items to be added to the store this coming week from Maisy Mo (awesome rubons!!) and Sassafras Lass...those elusive stitch stamps!

I did it again!

2006-05-09T03:36:00.000-07:00

I delayed in posting!

Anyway, there's been so much happen in the last few weeks. First, the bad news. I lost my jurisdiction hearing on Tylers' custody case. NOw if I want to do anything I have to go to Arizona and file to have them throw it out and then refile it all in Missouri. It's ridiculous! Both states say that as long as one participant remains in the original state, then that state retains jurisdiction. I just don't understand it. So of course now Michael wants to see Ciara in June. There's no way I'm letting her go. With the judge throwing it out, he could easily file something in Arizona to keep her there and I'm just not going to take that chance!

So the good news...my brother found me! My mom and dad divorced when I was 5 and I have a half-brother that I've seen only once in the past 22 years. He hired a private investigator to track me down and she succeeded! I just can't believe it! Of course my dad is upset about it. I guess he thinks I'm going to want something from him. I don't. I've never even thought twice about him my entire life. I'm just glad that my brother and I have reconnected...we have lots to catch up on!

2peas challenge...
Blog about your favorites...
Fave coffee - Don't drink it! (water all the way!)
Fave tea - Don't drink it! (again...water!)
Fave jam - Strawberry
Fave peanut butter - JIF creamy
Fave sandwhich - Ham and Cheese with mustard
Fave fast food item - Popeyes chicken
Fave appetizer - Fried ravioli from Olive Garden
Fave summertime drink - Water!
Fave fruit - Strawberries
Fave vegetable - Carrots
Fave indulgence - Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting

Store news!
We had a great sale for NSD. 40% off everything in the store including past kits. We sold out of just about everything! Time to go restock. Our May kit is up and available. There is one item included that isn't pictured...a pack of Gin-X express-ons in White. These are fabulous rubons! Tons of letter and doodles. This month we have our 3 and 6 month prepay options on special. Each is $30 a kit, so 3 months for $90 and 6 months for $180...super deal! June is going to be the Restoration and On the Go lines from We R Memory Keepers! It's going to be fabulous!

2 peas challenge!

2006-04-27T20:03:00.000-07:00

Ok so I haven't done a challenge in a while so here goes!

1. My current favorite song - "Becase he cheats" by Carrie Underwood
2. The last book I read - King of Torts by John Grisham (I think he wrote it!)
3. What am I wearing right now - jeans and a t-shirt from work
4. The last CD I bought - Some Hearts by Carrie Underwood
5. The last gift I bought for someone - I just bought my husband a new cell phone just cuz I love him!

2006-04-26T15:19:00.000-07:00

So I couldn't wait any longer to put the May kit up in the store. This kit is so full of bright and fun paper! We chose the Color Me Silly line from Basic Grey (12 sheets) and paired it with 5 colors of Bazzill cardstock (2 of each color). We added some of the new Bazzill Really Big Paperclips too! These things are too cool! And a full box of new Express-ons from Gin-X. I can't say enough about this kit. I think it's my favorite so far!

We decided to do some mini kits this month with the new Crate papers. We used Kate, New Garden, and Hampton. These kits are in the store right now!

We have a bunch of new stuff in the store this week. Maya Road chipboard sets, Basic Grey rubons, Gin-X raw photo corners, plus more!

We are running a special on our 3 and 6 month prepays. You can get 3 months for $90 and 6 months for $180. That makes each kit only $30 plus you get free shipping each month.

Come check out what our newest DT member, Brandy Logan, comes up with! She'll be doing an article for the newsletter and it promises to be great! We have so much fun stuff planned for the next few months...you won't want to miss out!

Coming in May...Scraptivity Stamps, Queen & Company Colour Collection, Sassafras Lass stamps, and so much more!

May peek!

2006-04-22T22:10:00.000-07:00

We have a new Design Team Member! I'm so excited about this. Brandy Logan has joined out Design Team and believe me...she rawks! She has been published so many times I can't even count! She has been on the Design Team for many other stores and kit clubs so she has the experience to know what's up! Her latest accomplishment is to be the main artist for the Michael's 2006 Wedding Book! WOW! That is an amazing acheivement. We are all thrilled to have her join our team!

So onto the kits...I have *almost* everything needed to complete the May kit. I'm lacking one small item and it will be done. We're using Basic Grey's Color Me Silly and it is sooo colorful! I was never a Basic Grey fun until now. This line has so many bright and fun colors, it's just amazing! I've added some of the brand spankin' new Really Big Paperclips from Bazzil and they are super fun to use. The new Gin-X rubons are awesome too. Two sheets of each is included plus doodles...and we all know how hot those are right now! These kits will be available for purchase starting May 1st so don't forget to come back and get yourself one!

We only have 2 April kits left! I can't believe how quick these babies flew out the door. I guess mixing lines in kits is *in* right now. I kind of like it. You get more variety in your kits and can do more layouts without them all looking the same...gotta love that! We've decided to do this again in July. We're mixing We R Memory Keepers "Restoration" and "On the Go" lines with lots of Heidi Swapp! It's looking to be a beautiful kit!

We put together some mini kits for May using Crate Papers Hampton, Kate, and New Garden lines. These are beautiful papers. I love them! I really don't want to cut them...just hold them and look at them!

We still have our 25% off sale going on until the end of April. Stuff is going fast! In May we'll be putting our 6 month prepay on special. You can sign up for 6 months for $180...that equals to be only $30 a kit, plus shipping is free for all prepays! You can't beat that. Our kits always have a MSRP value of $43-$45 so at $30 a pop, how can you go wrong?

I am a horrible blogger!

2006-04-13T18:36:00.000-07:00

I just keep forgetting to update here!

So here's the scoop on the last week or so:

April's kits are shipping on Saturday. I only have 4 of these left too! I'm so excited about that! We still have the 25% off sale going on this whole month too. I'm getting all this stuff out so that I can make room for the new items coming in next week. We'll have Crate paper packs, Scraptivity stamps, lots of the new Bazzill items and so much more! My Queen and Company order will be shipping the first week of May. I can't wait to get my hands on that super cute new stuff!

I got the paper for my May kit today. It's the fun new "Color Me Silly" line from Basic Grey. This stuff is so cool. So much better in real life! It's all sorted now and waiting for the rest to get here!

I'm almost done planning June's kit. I'm using the Restoration line from We R Memory Keepers. I just love WRMK! They have the best stuff around!

Our Design Team call ends tomorrow. I have received some really awesome submissions. This decision is probably the hardest (scrap) decision I've ever made. I just hate to tell any of them no because they are all so great. I wish I could afford to have them all design for me!

So much is happening!

2006-04-03T04:46:00.000-07:00

April has been busy and it's only the beginning of the month!

First, we have our kit posted! There is one item that isn't pictured though. We've included a bottle of Fancy Pants flowers for this kit. They are so cute and the colors match perfectly! These kits will ship on April 15th. There's only 6 left so get them while you can!

We've changed two things for shipping. First, we've added an option to allow you to ship your store items with your subscription kit for free. When you sign up for a subscription and then shop in the store, choose the "walk in" shipping option. This will prevent the store from charging you shipping on your items. Second, we've gone with a flat rate shipping. We now charge only $5.00 for shipping no matter how much you order! It was brought to our attention that the store was charging too much for shipping so this will fix that.

Next, we're having a "Spring has Sprung" sale! We're want to clear out our store to make room for new stuff that is arriving each week. Everything in the store (except the monthly kit) is on sale for 25% off MSRP! There's some really great deals in the store right now, but everything is moving fast so you better hurry to get a good selection!

Finally, we're on the prowl for a new Design Team member! Our Design Team Search is open to any interested applicant (both members and non-members) who meets the following expectations:

Works well with others
Will commit to 6 months with the option of staying longer
Continually looks for fresh, inventive ways to advertise our kits
Dedicated to the C&H team
Can meet/exceed tight deadlines

Submission Requirements:

4 layouts and 2 altered projects that you have done within the past month, preferably at least 1 item that you have specifically made for this call

Please include your full name, address, e-mail, telephone number, a brief biography about yourself and answers to the following questions:

How long have you been scrapbooking?
What do you enjoy most about this hobby?
Why do you want to become a design team member at C&H?
What are your strengths/weaknesses?
In your opinion, what would be your biggest contibution to the C&H team?
What other scrapbook kit clubs/scrapbook stores/manufacturers are you currently/have been a designer for?
What message boards do you regularly post on?

Please send your submissions to awatts65@cableone.net. The deadline is April 15

Our April kit is up on the site now!

2006-03-31T21:15:00.000-08:00

And it looks so nice! Of course I am a little biased, but I still love it! Andy has done a great job revamping the home page with a bigger picture! Thanks honey! We only have a few of these kits left too, so if you want one, go get it while you can! One item that is included but not pictured is a bottle of Fancy Pants flowers in Chi Chi. These are super cute but weren't here when the picture as taken!

You should come visit our message board! You don't have to be a subscriber to chat with us! We have a contest and challenge each month for a chance to win fun prizes, plus mini contests and triva throughout the month for more prizes.

Fun Fact Friday!

2006-03-31T03:21:00.000-08:00

Ok here goes:

I'm a scrapper - most people at work wonder how I have time to even take picture, much less scrap them! I've considered taking my albums in and showing them but I'm not brave enough to. I post online for people that don't *know* me though!

I have a scrap store online - again, where's the time? I always find time for scrapping and supplies!

My maiden name is *Whipple* - yes the same name as the Charmin guy from the '80's. You have no idea how many jokes that name has made me the butt of!

My babies are my best friends!

My husband and I met only 6 months before we were married. He asked me to marry him during a fight!

I never learned to drive until I was 21, I was always to scared!

Ok that's all I can think of for now!

How much do you usually spend in a scrapbooking store?

2006-03-30T03:57:00.000-08:00

How much do you normally shop in a store, or are you an online shopper?

I don't spend much in stores. The two stores near me are ridiculously priced, some items are almost double MSRP so I refuse to shop there. I'll go look at everything they have and I'll buy if they have something on *clearance* which is usually marked down to regular MSRP. I do most of my shopping online and spend around $50 per month. I get a monthly kit so that's an extra $40. I've learned what my *style* is so I don't spend money on things I know I won't use anymore...it makes my husband so happy!

New April Kit Peek!

2006-03-30T03:46:00.000-08:00

I've received most of the items for Aprils kit and it looks so good! I can't wait to get everything and start sending them out! I'll be able to upload everything onto the website on Friday so that will be nice. We're still looking for a new Design Team member so don't forget to apply!

What does my name mean?

2006-03-29T03:32:00.000-08:00

Laura - Latin - Laurel leaves, honor, fame, spirit

I think that sums me up pretty good...I don't know what Laurel leaves are though!

Design Team Call!

2006-03-28T18:25:00.000-08:00

We've had a great month so far this month and we are able to open up a new spot on our Design Team to start in May!

Our Design Team Search is open to any interested applicant (both members and non-members) who meets the following expectations:

Works well with others
Will commit to 6 months with the option of staying longer
Continually looks for fresh, inventive ways to advertise our kits
Regularly posts on www.willowtraders.com and www.twopeasinabucket.com
Dedicated to the C&H team
Can meet/exceed tight deadlines

Submission Requirements:

4 layouts and 2 altered projects that you have done within the past month, preferably at least 1 item that you have specifically made for this call

Please include your full name, address, e-mail, telephone number, a brief biography about yourself and answers to the following questions:

How long have you been scrapbooking?
What do you enjoy most about this hobby?
Why do you want to become a design team member at C&H?
What are your strengths/weaknesses?
In your opinion, what would be your biggest contibution to the C&H team?
What other scrapbook kit clubs/scrapbook stores/manufacturers are you currently/have been a designer for?

Please send your submissions to awatts65@cableone.net. The deadline is April 15

Willow Traders Challenge!

2006-03-28T05:12:00.000-08:00

What are your pet peaves?

Oh my gosh! I don't know that I have enough room to list all of my peaves.

First, bad drivers! Why is it when you're driving down the road at 55 and there is nobody behind you, there is always someone that is too impatient to wait for you to pass and they pull out in front of you? Ugh...you always have to slam on your brakes to avoid rear ending them! Apparantly in Joplin, red lights are meant as just *stop if you want to* lights. I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've almost gotten smashed because some idiot didn't stop when the light turned red. Blinkers - are there that many car manufacturers that *forgot* to add blinkers to their cars...I don't think so! Highway drivers that ride in the left lane and don't do the speed limit. The left lane is for passing...if you're not going to pass, don't ride in the left lane! I'm sure there's more but I don't want to bore you!

Charities (and some telemarketers) that call you and try to make you feel guilty when you don't give them anything. I had a lady from "Hooked On Phonics" call me once and when I told her I couldn't afford their $400 system, she asked me why my childrens' education wasn't important to me!! Umm...it is, but I'm not paying $400 for something that I don't need!

Co-workers (or anyone for that matter) that feel the need to burden you with their entire life story and every bad thing that has ever happened to them.

People that take every situation and make it about them...even when it's obviously something that you need to talk about!

Ok, there's a few but I could go on for hours on this topic. Unfortunately, I have to go to work now and can't do anymore!!

2peas challenge...

2006-03-28T04:20:00.000-08:00

If I could have dinner with anyone I wanted, dead or alive, it would definitely be George Bush. I know a lot of people are going to disagree with me, but that's ok. I like him. I think he gets bashed for a lot of things that aren't really his fault, but he gets blamed by default. There are a lot of things that I would love to ask him. We would talk about the war, social security, homeland security. I would bring him the opinions of so many and ask what his thoughts are. I would ask him to make up some words for me and the *embetterment* of my vocabulary!! I would then invite him over to scrap with me...could you imagine George Bush scrapping? I would definitely have to proofread before he glued down and words!

Blogger was having problems

2006-03-21T04:17:00.000-08:00

Sunday uploading pictures so here are a few recent layouts I've done! Several were done with my February and March kit

Here's sneak peek for April!

Some layouts!

2006-03-21T04:10:00.000-08:00

So yesterday was my birthday!

2006-03-19T10:32:00.000-08:00

I turned 27. Only 3 more years til I hit 30! I'm having a hard time even saying that word. Thirty. 30. I know it's still young but when I turn 30 then I'm no longer in my *20's*. I like the *20's* but we can't stay there forever I guess! I didn't do much. Sat at home with the girls. Andy is in sunny Key Biscayne, Florida doing a big food drop with Feed The Children. Wish I was sitting on the beach right now! It's grey and cold here. Sunny Florida sounds nice!

I've been doing lots of scrapping lately. I don't know how I'm managing to find the time...maybe it's because I've been negleting the laundry, the dishes, the vacuuming...naaahhhh...couldn't be that! I wanted to post them but for some reason Blogger isn't letting me...I'll try again later!

2peas challenge...

2006-03-15T18:25:00.000-08:00

Today's challenge!

1. The biggest challenge to creativity is My kids! Seems like everytime I get to going on a layout and the creative juices start flowing, the baby cries or Ciara needs something. Other than that, I think it's the patterned paper that stumps me sometimes. I LOVE Chatterbox but it's one of the most difficult papers for me to use. It's not a fear of actually cutting the precious paper (heaven knows I've got every sheet of every line in triplicate!) but the patterns are just difficult for me to use.

2.0 The only thing I know for sure about the creative process is that I don't know anything about it! I know I sit down and pick out my pictures and then go for the paper and then the embellishments. But then there are times that I pick the paper first and then find pictures to go with it. It's never the same every time. I don't know why!

2peas challenge...

2006-03-14T18:28:00.000-08:00

Ok so it's been a while since I did one of these challenges so here goes!

5-10 of my favorite snack foods:
1. Apples
2. Grahm Crackers with Peanut Butter
3. Twix
4. Tortilla Chips with Salsa
5. Popcorn
6. Cashews
7. Strawberries
8. Chedder Cheese
9. Pecan Sandies
10. Cool Ranch Doritoes

Yum...now I'm hungry!

Went to my first crop today!

2006-03-11T18:16:00.000-08:00

Yeah! The local high school held a fundraiser crop today. I donated a 3 month subscription to my club for their raffle. I hope they're able to make a few dollars from it. I had fun at the crop. I got 5 solid hours of crop time in...completed two whole pages! That's some kind of record for me! I was able to spread the word about my club to a lot of people so hopefully that sparks some interest for me. I'm almost sold out of my February and March kits. That is very exciting for me. Andy was here with the girls all day long. He did surprisingly well with Hope. He was worried that he wouldn't know what to do with her all day long but she's pretty self-entertaining. Ciara had a tragic accident this afternoon. She was in a head-on collision with another 6 year old on a bike. This kid had just learned how to ride without training wheels and I think his parent forgot to teach him what brakes were for. Her face is scratched up pretty bad but I think she'll survive. I'll take some pictures of it tomorrow to scrap!

One of those days...

2006-03-04T17:58:00.000-08:00

where all I do is cry! Tyler's 8th birthday is on Monday. I am so sad right now. I can't even begin to describe how much I miss him. It took me nearly 3 hours to make him a simple birthday card. I think this has been my problem for the past few days. I know it's getting closer to the one full year since the last time I saw him. I can't stand it anymore! Now his fathers attorney has filed to have our case thrown out based on jurisdiction. He's claiming that since they do not live in Missouri that we do not have jurisdiction in the case. It's ridiculous. Tyler and Ciara both were born here and I have never left the state. I don't understand why they keep dragging this thing out. Do they not understand what this is doing to my kids and to me? My husband and I are constantly at each other because I am so sad and depressed lately. Ciara just simply doesn't understand why she can't see her brother and I don't know what to tell her. I can't tell her the truth because none of it's good and it can be made to seem that I am trying to "alienate" her from her father. He's done a pretty good job of doing that on his own, but still. I have never bad-mouthed him to her and I can't start now. I am so frustrated with the whole situation. Why is it when two people make a baby they can't work together so that child can live in peace with the love of both parents? Why does it have to be one or the other? So now we have to *wait* once again for the attorneys to argue the jurisdiction issue to the judge. March 20 will make one full year since the last time I saw him, it breaks my heart just thinking about it.

I need to get back into the swing of things!

2006-02-28T13:04:00.000-08:00

I have been very lax in my updating. I've been sick for several days and before that Hope and Ciara were both sick.

I took Ciara to the eye doctor and to the audiologist on Monday hoping that her behavior problems were linked to one of these problems. Turns out she can see and hear just fine. I have another appointment for her on Thursday to go back to the pediatrcian to test her for ADD. Those letters scare me! I hate the thought of her being "labeled" like that but I can't stand her behavior and attitude anymore. I am desperate at this point in trying to figure out what the problem is and fixing it. Hopefully Thursday I'll have a bit more insight.

Now they're better and I'm still working on me! I finally got all the details finalized on my new store. I am liking this one so much better than the previous one. More user friendly and we can have discount codes! FREESHIP is for Free Shipping until March 15 and INTSHIP is for $5 off shipping to international customers.

I'm a little behind...

2006-02-25T18:07:00.000-08:00

in my posting this week! Hope and Ciara are both sick and now I'm getting it too! Between them being sick and working on the new store I am exhausted! They are both getting better now but like I said, now I'm getting sick! We are working on a more user-friendly store right now. This new setup is so much nicer than our current store. We can have gift certificates, discount codes, and can offer free shipping! Speaking of free shipping...from now until March 15, we are offering free shipping on all orders, including kits! We need to clear out some of our stuff so come and get it and don't worry about shipping cost. On March 1st, our new store will be up and running and you can use the discount code FREESHIP to receive free shipping. This code can only be used once per customer. Our March kit will be posted on the 1st as well. I've been having lots of fun using this kit. I made a mini album for Hope with the book that is included. I used ALL of my paper except one full sheet and one or two half sheets! This kit is so cool! The book turned out really nice. I'll be posting pictures of it in my gallery on the 1st for all to see!

I got my March kit goodies today!!

2006-02-20T16:57:00.000-08:00

I was so excited to get home and see that all my kit stuff for March came today! It was an awesome mail day! I seriously think I went overboard on this one...It's retail value of over $46 for single kit price of only $40 and 6 month subscription for only $35!!! We did the Groovy line from 3 Bugs in a Rug and even threw in a set of the new flower stamps from Making Memories!

I bought lots of extras to go in the store to coordinate with this kit. I even have some of the caboodle kits with the French Country line that has all the paper, both sets of stickers, die cut tags, and monograms. I threw in a couple of sheets of Gumbo and Raven Bazzill for FREE! We still have the challenge and contest going on for a copy of Bazzill Blueprints and an awesome goody bag! If you haven't checked us out you should definitely do it now!

Sunday 2peas challenge...

2006-02-19T06:29:00.000-08:00

Today's challenge in "What would you do..."

What would I do if I won a million dollars: Well after I cried I would plan out the most AMAZING scrap store ever! I would stock it with the greatest supplies and sell them at prices that people could actually afford.

What would I do if I had no children: First I would be completely bored! But then I would have more time to scrap...only I usually scrap my children so I wouldn't have any scrap subjects! Honestly, I would go back to school and finish my nursing degree and work.

What would I do if I were the president of the US: This is a hard question! I would be completely stressed out first off. I really don't know what I would do...it seems no matter who the president is the country is still screwed up. We need to get to the root of our governmental problems (congress, senate) and then I think things will improve. Ok...not an answer to the question...sorry!

What would I do if I skip a meal: This isn't an option for me...I'm diabetic!

What would I do if I were my ideal weight: I would take some of that million dollars I won and go on a shopping spree! I would be extremely happy if I could get to that weight.

What would I do if I could meet anyone I want and who would that be: I would love to meet the president (yes George Bush!). He gets a lot of critisism...and some is deserving and some is completely innappropriate. I would love to be able to talk to him and just have a conversation about things going on in the country today.

What would I do if I were famous: I don't know if I could handle that kind of pressure...

What would I do if I were a scrapbooking celebrity: Still another one that I don't think I could handle the pressure of. I would LOVE to be able to travel all over and attend shows and conventions all for the love of scrapbooking. It would be a fabulous job...but still...all the pressure!

What would I do if you could change anything in the world: I would put an end to our dependence on foreign oil. We are the wealthiest country in the world but we have to depend on others for our oil. This would be the one thing I would change.

What would I do if I didn't scrapbook: My other hobby...shopping!

2peas challenge...

2006-02-17T17:52:00.000-08:00

Today's challenge is to list some fun facts about myself...

I don't know about how fun these are but here are some little known facts about me!

I have two different colored eyes. One eye is blue and the other is brown.

I had a strawberry birthmark on my nose when I was a baby that was lasered off in 1980. Since the technology was relatively new at the time, I have a nice round nose with tiny dark spots. At least I don't have a purple nose though!

I was born in Roswell, New Mexico. Yes the site where the aliens supposedly landed. I am the butt of many alien jokes.

My maiden name is "Whipple"...need I say more?

My house is a mess most of the time but my desk and work area at work is spotless.

I must lay diagonally in bed when I sleep. If any part of my body is off the bed I instantly wake up.

When I get anxious I twist my hair around my fingers. I have often times made knots by doing this that are extremely painful to brush out! I know usually wear my hair up in a ponytail to avoid this.

Hmmm...I can't think of anymore right now! I'll post more as I think of them.

I don't know what to do...

2006-02-16T16:50:00.000-08:00

I am so frustrated with my daughter that I don't know what to do! She gets herself into trouble everyday at school. There hasn't been a day in the last six months that she hasn't been sent to the principals office and she's only 6! The teacher doesn't have a clue about what to do. We've done time out, rewards, trying to make her earn rewards for good behavior, taking away priviledges for bad behavior, spanking, sending her to her room...EVERYTHING! I am at my wits end. It's gotten to where I don't even like her. I love her to death because when she's good she can be the sweetest kid in the world but I can't stand her being in trouble all the time. She wants all eyes on her and if she doesn't get that then she's a holy terror! At home she is contantly talking about absolutely nothing. If I'm on the phone the she has to interrupt me. If I'm taking care of the baby she has to be right there in her face. I don't understand what the problem is but I wish I could figure it out. I hate feeling this way about my own child but I am so lost in this. We have an appointment on Monday with her pediatrician to see if there is anything he can suggest doing. If anyone reading this has any suggestions I'm all ears!

Things we have tried:
Reward calendar...each day that she's good she gets 2 stars (1 star for school and 1 star for home. This started on a Sunday and ended on Saturday. If she had 10 stars then she would get a reward. That lasted one week.

Reward box...she and I altered a lunchbox together and I printed off a sheet of rewards on the computer. Things like a trip to the park, $2 at the end of the week, etc. She cut them all out and I told her at the end of the week if she hadn't been sent to the principal's office I would let her draw a reward. That lasted one week.

Scrapping...she loves art. She is a very creative kid and she loves to be with me when I scrap and loves it even more to actually be able to mess with my stuff. So we told her that if she didn't get into trouble at school during the week then on Saturday we would go to Hobby Lobby and let her pick out $10 worth of goodies for her to build up her own "stash" and we could scrap together every weekend. This lasted about a month.

Took away her favorite toy...no impact

Spanking...no impact

Standing in time out...no impact

Giving her extra chores...loved this because she loves to clean!

Help me please!

2peas challenge...

2006-02-15T16:39:00.000-08:00

Todays challenge is to list my immediate family members and write about what I admire about them. Here goes!

My immediate family includes my husband, my son, and two daughters.

I'll start with my husband, Andy. What I admire about him the most is that when we first met he took in my kids as if they were his own. He didn't have to and there are so many men that want nothing to do with another man's children, but Andy did. Ever since day one he has been there for us. Right now he is trying to adopt my daughter, Ciara because to him, she is his daughter. During this long and drawn out custody battle over my son he has been there and supported me. We haven't always agreed on what we should do but he is still here with me and we're dealing with this together.

Next is my son, Tyler. Tyler has been through a lot the past two years. His and Ciara's father took him from me and it has been a battle to get him back ever since. I haven't seen him since March of 2005 and I've only talked to him once since April. He's only 7 but he has been able to deal with this whole situation a lot better than I have! He gets good grades in school and is able to participate in class like any kid does. So yes I admire my son for being able to go through this ordeal and not have any major problems.

Next is my daughter, Ciara. Ciara is a difficult child. I love her dearly but she and I don't get along very well. She's only 6 but our personalities are so different that it's difficult for us to communicate. She has a hard time at school and is constantly getting herself into trouble. She has had to deal with losing her brother that she adored and then getting a new baby sister, plus starting kindergarten. I do still admire her though. She always has a smile on her face and she always manages to turn any situation into fun (this isn't always a good thing!). She has gone through a lot of changes in the past two years and is still holding up better than I am!

And finally there's Hope! She's the baby. She just turned 5 months old. What is there to admire about a baby? This one has taken me a lot of thought! But really she is my joy right now. Everytime she looks at me she smiles. When I pick her up from the babysitter after work she just laughs and kicks her feet. She is always excited to see me! It is amazing how much she has grown and learned in her short 5 months. Everything is an adventure for her...which is what I admire about her! Babies are so curious and no matter what is going on around them they can make you smile faster than anything!

So there you have...my family and what I admire about them.

Why do some days just not "come" together?

2006-02-14T18:26:00.000-08:00

So I went to work today...and I actually wanted to be there! I do enjoy my job. I work with a bunch of great people and I know the things I do are necessary for a lot of different things! So today I went in and I was just a working away when my cell phone rings. First off...no cell phones allowed! The room I work in is supposed to be static-free and cell phones aren't so I'm not supposed to have it on at work. So after getting the "evil eye" from my boss I answer it and it's the babysitter! Her son was super sick and she needed to take him to the hospital. Great...now I'm going to be even further behind than I already was! Anyway, I go to pick her up and her son just looks horrible. The poor thing is only 3 and he's got health problems anyway. He was running a 105 temp and had a febrile seizure which obviously freaked his mommy out! I feel so bad for him! She called me and all is well now though. They gave him IV fluids and his temp came down so they're at home. What a scary day for her though (and him too!). I just hate it when kids are sick. Hope is 5 months old and thankfully hasn't come down with anything yet. Ciara on the other hand hasn't been so lucky! She suffered a MAJOR ear infection in February of last year and she is still dealing with the consequenses of it. It was so bad it ruptured her ear drum and now she has difficulty hearing...which causes her to get into trouble because she gets bored and starts to act up. Well she's bored because she can't hear what's going on around her very well! So after having her tonsils removed and tubes put in her ears she is still having problems. Off we go to the doctor again next week to have her re-checked. I hope that they can do something to help her. She gets herself into so much trouble and I truly dont't think she can help it. Anyone else dealt with this kind of thing?

Anyway...I'll be back off to work again tomorrow and will have to deal with the mess that I left myself today! The extra day off work was kind of nice. It was just me and the baby for most of the day until Ciara got home from school. Hope has learned that if she rolls she can get just about anywhere she wants to go! The girl is mobile and there's no stopping her now! She hasn't quite figured out how to roll through the couch yet. She gets pretty mad at herself because she gets stuck at the couch and can't get around it! It's funny to watch because she has such a short temper. She'll learn one day!

Todays 2peas challenge

2006-02-13T03:40:00.000-08:00

Todays challenge was to list 5 or more false impressions people have about me when they first meet me. I don't think I can come up with 5 since there is really only 1, but I'll try!

I guess the first one that EVERYONE says is that they think I'm mean. I guess my "look" gives that impression. I'm not small by any stretch of the imagination and I have a loud voice so I guess that is what does it! Once people get to know me a bit then they realize that I'm not really so bad!

Uummmm...I've been sitting here for 10 minutes trying to think of more but I just can't. That one just seems to be the only one that I've been told about.

So, on to other things. It's Monday and I have to go back to work. Yuck! I need to take a week off and just be alone. The mix of my custody battle with my ex, my husband being gone all the time - which leads to me being the one taking care of the kids alone - and work are just starting to take its toll on me.

Anyway, that's all for now! If I think of more "false impressions" I'll post them!

2006-02-12T19:05:00.000-08:00

So I saw this quiz on Scrapjazz today and the results are a little creepy! I've posted the link on the right hand side so you can take the quiz yourself!

You Are 36% Abnormal

You are at low risk for being a psychopath. It is unlikely that you have no soul.

You are at medium risk for having a borderline personality. It is somewhat likely that you are a chaotic mess.

You are at low risk for having a narcissistic personality. It is unlikely that you are in love with your own reflection.

You are at high risk for having a social phobia. It is very likely that you feel most comfortable in your mom's basement.

You are at low risk for obsessive compulsive disorder. It is unlikely that you are addicted to hand sanitizer.

How Abnormal Are You?

And the truth is...

2006-02-12T06:17:00.000-08:00

It was fun to see all the guesses on the challenge. Some of you were SO close! So here are the real answers.

1. My house is always spotless. I can't stand anything messy. This is so NOT true! I work full time, have a business, 2 kids at home and a husband that's always gone...my house is rarely spotless!

2. I have 4 kids. Although occasionaly I feel like I have 4 kids when you add my husband to the mix, but I only have 3. My son lives with his father and my 2 daughters live with me.

3. Laundry is always washed, dried, folded, and put away at once. I never let it sit around. Ummm...this was a big fat lie! I still have last weekends laundry in a basket in my bedroom. I just don't have time to do it! So I've recruited my daughter, Ciara, to do the folding for me! It's not always pretty since she's only 6 but she likes to do it and it gets it done.

4. I'm married to a millionaire! Yeah right...would I be using a FREE blogger if I was?

5. My job requires me to keep things confidential. Yep that one is true! We do a lot of work for the government and they must be kept confidential.

6. I have 2 daughters. Yep...that was an easy one. The answer was listed on my profile!

7. I hoard more scrap supplies than I really use. Sadly yes. But what scrapper is this NOT true on?

8. I don't like to drink. Yep this is true! I can't remember the last time I drank anything. It's just not who I am.

9. I am a perfect size 6. Well add a "1" in front of that six and I'd be close.

10. I have a tattoo. No. I've always wanted one but have never actually done it.

So there you have it...my truths and more about me than you probably ever wanted to know! Now off I go to check out everyone elses!

2peas challenge...

2006-02-11T09:46:00.000-08:00

So I've been seeing these blog challenges on 2peas and thought I'd give one a try. They sound fun so here goes!

This challenge is to name 10 things about myself. 6 lies and 4 truths. Everyone is supposed to guess which ones are true and which aren't.

1. My house is always spotless. I can't stand anything to be messy.
2. I have 4 kids.
3. Laundry is always washed, dried, folded, and put away at once. I never let it sit around.
4. I'm married to a millionaire!
5. My job requires me to be able to keep things confidential.
6. I have 2 daughters
7. I hoard more scrap supplies than I really use.
8. I don't like to drink.
9. I am a perfect size 6.
10. I have a tattoo.

Can you guess which ones are true?

I haven't posted in a few days...

2006-02-11T09:29:00.000-08:00

So here's a sneak peek for next months' kit!

I'm still new at this blog thing and I didn't have time to post for the past two days! Anyway, I've put a sneak peek up for March on my site. We'll be featuring the new "Groovy" line from 3 Bugs in a Rug. This kit is going to be AMAZING!! I've included a set of the new "Flower" stamps from Making Memories and a really neat mini book. We won't be having a mini kit this month but I will have some of the "French Country" kits from 3 Bugs that include all the papers, the die cut tags, monos, and stickers. I'll be adding a few sheets of coordinating cardstock as well.

I'm sorry for the poor quality of the paper picture. You can view the entire line at www.3bugsinarug.com.

We are also running a special for the tax season! You can prepay for a full year for $300! Holy cow...that makes each kit only $25! This is an amazing deal! This offer will expire at midnight on April 17.

It has started to snow here finally. We have gone the entire winter with only an inch or two of snow. It's coming down pretty good right now but I don't think it will last. I have all these pretty winter papers and rubons and I can't use ANY of them right now! Is it bad that I'm praying for snow so that I can scrap?

I will be spending Valentines Day alone this year. I'll have my girls but my husband will be working. It's frustrating being married to a truck driver sometimes. He's gone so much. He misses so much of our lives. He'll be gone for my birthday this year too...for the second year in a row! I'll be so happy when this club takes off and he can quit driving and be home with us more often.

That's all I have for now...probably more tomorrow!

The most INCREDIBLE trip to the LSS today!

2006-02-08T19:03:00.000-08:00

Ugh...some people really should NOT be in customer service positions. It is amazing to me how some store owners treat their customers. I could never imagine being rude or disrespectful to a customer. Even if they're only looking, they are still a potential customer and should be treated with respect. Apparantly the owner of one of the stores in a nearby town has forgotten that! Here are all the gory details of my trip today:

Ok I am currently obsessing over rubons. I love em and gotta have more more more! So...I went to the first LSS in town this afternoon and they didn't have any besides alpha and words so I went to the other one. Now...I don't really go to this particular one because they are way overpriced and they the way the store is setup you have to search every aisle for stuff (setup by theme rather than brand). Anyway, so I asked the owner what kind of rubons she had. I told her that I saw some Heidi Swapp ones and Basic Grey ones that were patterns rather than just words online. Here's how the conversation went:

Me: Do you have any rubons besides words or letters? I'm mainly looking for patterns.

Her: Well you'll just have to look and see. I don't know off hand what I have.

Me: (a little irritated now) Well I saw some HS and BG ones online that I liked and wanted something with a pattern rather than alpha or words.

Her: You know it's people like you that do all your shopping online that makes the retail stores go out of business.

Me; (obviously fuming by now) No, it's retailers like you that price your stock so high that it forces customers like me to shop online that makes the retail stores go out of business.

And then I turned around and left!

Can you believe that...I am still mad about what she said!

So, I go pick up Ciara (DD #1) from school and she is soooo irritable! She's only six but if you met her you would swear she was going through a severe case of PMS! I think she whined and cried all night long until I sent her to bed early. Hope (DD #2) wasn't much better. She turns 5 months old tomorrow so I can excuse her whininess (sp?) but Ciara was just too much for me today!

I took the day off work today. I just didn't have the desire to go there. I've got this custody battle going on (another long story!) and it's just starting to take its toll on me. I miss my boy so much that it hurts to even think about him. I just pray that God knows what he's doing in this situation and that he gives me the strength to finish this out. In three weeks it will make a full year since the last time I saw him. No mother (or father for that matter) should go that long without seeing their child.

Andy (my husband) and I had been contemplating moving next month. Our house is so small and with the online store now, and all the inventory that goes along with it, we are quickly losing space! We went and looked at a house last night which I LOVED. But we have now decided it would be best to just stay put for a while. Our house will be paid off in a little more than a year so it really doesn't make much sense to go out and get another house. We'll just have to learn to be closer for a little bit longer!

Ok...that's all I have for tonight. This was a long post! More tomorrow...

Gosh is was a Monday!

2006-02-06T16:55:00.000-08:00

Today was definitely a Monday. So much to do and so little time! I am so happy to be home from work and to see my kiddos! They always make the stresse of work just melt away. I hope everyone else is having a great day!

2006-02-05T18:30:00.000-08:00

And this one is our very first mini kit! It's a much smaller version of the other one but just as great!

2006-02-05T18:28:00.000-08:00

This is our first kit for our club. I am so in love with this kit...it looks amazing! I would keep it ALL myself if I could, but I can't!

And so we start...

2006-02-05T18:08:00.000-08:00

So here I am. The kids are in bed and the husband is out working...as always. It's so quiet right now, I'm loving it! I wanted to start this blog to share parts of me that I wouldn't normally post in a public message forum. I know, I know. This IS a public message forum...but it's different here! This is mine!

So Andy and I just started up our scrapbook club online. It's a scary venture for me, but I'm having fun with it. I have never dreamed of owning my own business or being my own boss. Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely glad I'm doing it, but it's still scary just the same. We officially "opened" our virtual doors on Thursday and so far so good. We haven't made many sales yet, but it's only been a few days and I'm grateful for the few that we have had. So far everyone has raved about my kits but it's hard to spend money on a newcomer when there are so many other established clubs that are great in their own rite. I know what I want for this club and I know how to get it there, I just don't know how to get Andy to understand that this isn't going to be an overnight success! I wish it was, but I know it's not!

Anyway...I'm starting to ramble! So here it is. My blog. My life. My story out here for the world to see!