...bring floods to new basements. =( We moved most of our things into our new home last weekend. Luckily we got it all done before the rains came.
It started raining Monday I think and hasn't really stopped yet for more than a couple of hours. Which led to Hubby coming home yesterday for his lunch break to a FLOOD. For some unknown reason our sump pump decided it wasn't going to turn on. Thankfully, we hadn't gotten too much unpacked/moved downstairs yet, so there was really only one box of casualties. Minus the flooring. I'm not quite convinced yet that it's all saved. I think we will get the carpeting dry now that it's pulled up, it didn't get too wet, but the sticky tiles are just not going to grow new adhesive and stick back to the ground.
We spent all of last night cleaning and mopping and setting up fans. My cousin came over and helped Hubby replace the old non functioning sump pump with a new one...which isn't the right kind. It ended up working for the night but he's back to good old Home Depot now to replace it. That place is unfortunately becoming our new "favorite" hang out spot. Oh, the joys of home ownership. My plans were obviously not to spend my evening doing that, but to work on getting my resume updated to start sending out. I realize I'm a little behind the game this Spring but the whole buying a house thing kind of got in the way. I told Hubby and Momma that I can't let it get in the way tonight, its all work and no play for me. Although, my "play" is just unpacking more boxes, which has suddenly taken on a whole new level of pleasure and my often neglected blog is getting a random update. It's amazing what you want to do when you need to be doing something else!
At this point it doesn't look like I'm going to get too far with any of my projects. Time to go start some supper...just another distraction from what I should be doing I suppose!
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Someone must need a little more accountability...
...and that someone is me! Oh we'll, here I am, 3 months later just now updating. A lot has happened in the past 3 months, but then again it's just been a lot of the same old thing.
I won't go into too many details but here are a few of the highlights:
January-The highlight of the month for me was probably cheering for D and Hannie at the state fair pageant. Both girls looked amazing! The cheering must have really paid off too, because D ended up placing 1st runner up. I couldn't be more proud. I love them both, but D has always been like a little sister to me. We have been closer at certain times in our lives more so than others, but that girl is so special to me. I can't believe her reign is coming to an end. Where has the year gone, when I saw the article in the paper for contestants for this year's pageant I couldn't believe it was here already!
I also learned that my two best friends had started dating again. One of them had a rather nasty ending to a way too long poor relationship at Christmas time 2011 and has found an amazing man who she deserves more than anything after the crummy relationships she's put up this far in life. The other is my BFFAE who I talked about quite a bit in my last entry. After losing her fiancé, the love of her life, almost a year ago she has found someone who has put that smile back on her face. She is trying to take things slow but is definitely enjoying the new companionship. It is a scary new beginning for her but she also deserves so be happy in her life after the tragedy 2012 brought her. January also brought the first baby of the year in my life, Van Boy #3 finally made his arrival right in the middle of my horrific cold. It took me almost a month to feel healthy enough to go visit but he is every bit as precious as his big brothers!
February-Nothing overly exciting in February. Lots of planning for my future sister-in-law's bridal shower, and a trip to visit the pre-k class I worked in last year. We had a very young class, so most of the students returned to pre-k this year as 4's so it was so exciting to see the growth they have made both physically and intellectually since I left them last spring. I miss working with those little babies every day. Baby number 2 came this month. My child hood Bestie and his wife brought precious Nora into the world. She is definitely her fathers daughter, looks just like he did!
March-After casual house hunting since we put house on the market last fall we found and fell in love with a home we just couldn't risk losing. We were able to crunch numbers and do a little budget adjusting and made an offer. Amazingly it was accepted and we close in just 2 days. It's been such an exciting yet scary process, but I know that with a little faith all will work out and Hubby and I will finally be able to start to settle down and start a life of our own.
April and a look to the future-This month is sure to be full. We close on our new home in just a couple of days, Hubby's brother is getting married just two days after that, then it's time to move! I've also got to start job hunting again, while I think my job is safe, I really want my own classroom. After all, I didn't go to college for 4 years to be an aide. It would be even better if that classroom was in lower elementary so I could go back to working with the younger kids I learned to love so much last year. Baby 3 of the year should be making her arrival later this month, and we'll be having a shower soon for Baby 4. Even though I don't have quite the connection to Baby 3, she will be BFFAE's first niece and her arrival couldn't have been scheduled for a more perfect time for that family. They need some serious joy in their lives and B is just the little princess to do it! Baby 4 is my cousin's first addition and I'm slightly pumped that the house were buying is just a few blocks away, Momma K has about 8 weeks to go I believe so Baby R will be here before we know it.
I can't say it won't be another 3 months, or longer, before I update again, but here's hoping!
I won't go into too many details but here are a few of the highlights:
January-The highlight of the month for me was probably cheering for D and Hannie at the state fair pageant. Both girls looked amazing! The cheering must have really paid off too, because D ended up placing 1st runner up. I couldn't be more proud. I love them both, but D has always been like a little sister to me. We have been closer at certain times in our lives more so than others, but that girl is so special to me. I can't believe her reign is coming to an end. Where has the year gone, when I saw the article in the paper for contestants for this year's pageant I couldn't believe it was here already!
I also learned that my two best friends had started dating again. One of them had a rather nasty ending to a way too long poor relationship at Christmas time 2011 and has found an amazing man who she deserves more than anything after the crummy relationships she's put up this far in life. The other is my BFFAE who I talked about quite a bit in my last entry. After losing her fiancé, the love of her life, almost a year ago she has found someone who has put that smile back on her face. She is trying to take things slow but is definitely enjoying the new companionship. It is a scary new beginning for her but she also deserves so be happy in her life after the tragedy 2012 brought her. January also brought the first baby of the year in my life, Van Boy #3 finally made his arrival right in the middle of my horrific cold. It took me almost a month to feel healthy enough to go visit but he is every bit as precious as his big brothers!
February-Nothing overly exciting in February. Lots of planning for my future sister-in-law's bridal shower, and a trip to visit the pre-k class I worked in last year. We had a very young class, so most of the students returned to pre-k this year as 4's so it was so exciting to see the growth they have made both physically and intellectually since I left them last spring. I miss working with those little babies every day. Baby number 2 came this month. My child hood Bestie and his wife brought precious Nora into the world. She is definitely her fathers daughter, looks just like he did!
March-After casual house hunting since we put house on the market last fall we found and fell in love with a home we just couldn't risk losing. We were able to crunch numbers and do a little budget adjusting and made an offer. Amazingly it was accepted and we close in just 2 days. It's been such an exciting yet scary process, but I know that with a little faith all will work out and Hubby and I will finally be able to start to settle down and start a life of our own.
April and a look to the future-This month is sure to be full. We close on our new home in just a couple of days, Hubby's brother is getting married just two days after that, then it's time to move! I've also got to start job hunting again, while I think my job is safe, I really want my own classroom. After all, I didn't go to college for 4 years to be an aide. It would be even better if that classroom was in lower elementary so I could go back to working with the younger kids I learned to love so much last year. Baby 3 of the year should be making her arrival later this month, and we'll be having a shower soon for Baby 4. Even though I don't have quite the connection to Baby 3, she will be BFFAE's first niece and her arrival couldn't have been scheduled for a more perfect time for that family. They need some serious joy in their lives and B is just the little princess to do it! Baby 4 is my cousin's first addition and I'm slightly pumped that the house were buying is just a few blocks away, Momma K has about 8 weeks to go I believe so Baby R will be here before we know it.
I can't say it won't be another 3 months, or longer, before I update again, but here's hoping!
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Out with the old...
...and in with the new! Hello, 2013, it's nice to meet ya!
I'm still getting into this whole blog thing, and while I don't feel like my main focus is going to be blogging about stamps like I once thought, I'm gonna hang out here for awhile and see where it takes me. My BFFAE (best friend forever and ever) actually introduced me to this crazy world of blogs long before I was a stamper and I plan to use her for my inspiration to keep up with my own. If she can continue to keep up with it, I can too, which is why I'm here now. At almost 1:30 AM. Lord, help me tomorrow when I can't figure out how to function.
So, after seeing the 2012 reflection that my BFFAE blogged, then finding her sister's new blog and her 2012 reflection, I thought to myself that's exactly where I need to start. As 2012 came to a close, I had a lot of reflections on the past year and where I thought it was headed. Boy was I wrong!
In January I was working as a classroom aide in pre-k. I never thought I would want to work with kids that young but boy had I come to love those little babies as my own! The teacher I worked with, Karen, and I had been able to refresh after the much needed Christmas break and were ready for what the semester held for us: our dreaded state evaluation. I was also trying my hand at "coaching" I was just the assistant, but never having been an athlete it was an interesting experience. I also began the countdown to hubby's graduation from chiropractic school, April 21 wouldn't get here soon enough!
February brought the big day, while waiting out front for our little darlings to arrive Karen and I saw a strange, ok not strange, but unfamiliar, woman enter the building and we knew this was it. We passed the eval, and the only things we we had points deducted in we're areas that we personally couldn't control. With that over the rest of the year would be smooth sailing.
March came, and so did the budget cuts. Anyone in education in Illinois right now knows our budget sucks. There's really no other way to put it. Karen and I both learned we would be cut along with the pre-k program, so it was job hunting time for me.
April was finally here, just 21 short days until graduation, I couldn't have been more proud to watch my hubby become Dr. Chris. Our life as a real married couple could begin and we could leave that icky student life behind. Between graduation on the 21st and our 3rd anniversary on the 25th we were ready to celebrate, what could go wrong? I'll tell you what can go wrong. April 23rd. I received a phone call after school from my BFFAE, her fiancé, went to his eternal home so much sooner than any of us could have dreamed. I went from an absolute high to one of the lowest lows I've had in my life. A mutual friend and I immediately took off to be with her, to help make horrible phone calls, for hugs, and to just be there. The next few days were an absolute blur and I'm thankful for Karen and my boss for being so understanding of my space cadet-ness for the next few weeks.
May came and I was in full job hunting mode. It was difficult because even though hubby had graduated he was still debating on where to start practice. The district that I was working in had recalled Karen and decided to fund the program on their own, but on a smaller scale. They did have a teaching opening become available so I jumped at it. It was then I truly learned the meaning of small town/school politics as the job was offered to someone else even though I had worked in the building under different capacities the past 4 years. I believe everything happens for a reason and decided it wasn't meant to be because I needed to be able to go where hubby got a job.
June came and BFFAE's fantastically amazing big sis decided we were going to get together and celebrate our girl the day we had originally planned to have her bridal shower. We didn't want her to have to face this day alone and wanted to remind her once again how great she is and how much she means to all of us. Despite the HOT weather, we had a great turn out and while there was a big void from what we wished we were doing instead I think everyone had a great time. Hubby and I also took a trip with baby brudder and his gf to my heaven on earth: Disney World.
July is then definition of summer for me: fireworks, baseball, and county fairs! Well, we had to cancel the fireworks because of such dry conditions but I still got baseball and fairs in! It was a hard adjustment for me to be in Busch and not see #5 standing on first and TLR in the dugout but as the reigning World Series Champs, I got over it. I just LOVE the boys in red! County fair season was in full swing and not one, but TWO of my cousins were crowned as their respective county's queens! I can't wait to cheer them on at the state pageant in 3 weeks! D and Hannie weren't the only winners this year, I finally got the nerve to enter some of my photography in the hobby contest and not only had several place, but also received Grand Champion photo! In addition to all that my brother in law got engaged!
August came and I was still unemployed, I was beginning to panic. Hubby had JUST found a job and things were going to be tight until he established a good client base if I still had nothing. But fate stepped in and God provided. I was offered a one-on-one aide position in a district in the same town hubby was starting work in just two days before school started. It seemed like a sign. We quickly put our house on the market and set up temporary residence with my mom and step-dad and got to work.
September was full of our new normal, living with parents again, new jobs, new lifestyle. My top priority though, was making sure BFFAE knew that even though our plans had been changed for us, she could still count on me to be there supporting her on what was supposed to be her wedding day, and every day. We got together with her family as well as Robo's family for a potluck. It turned out to be a beautiful day and was the perfect solution to what we all needed. In addition we had a health scare when my mother in law fell and hit her head in a parking lot. We suspected she was having an aneurysm, but thankfully it wasn't. She is slowly but surely recovering.
October flew by and our house was still not selling, we did some extra sprucing up and hoped for the best. While we are still waiting we have faith that once the weather is nicer things will happen! It was also time for me to start prepping for another good friend's wedding, bachelorette parties and bridal showers were what I did.
November I made my bridesmaid debut. KMeff became Sra. Seis and I danced the night away with two little cuties while their very preggo momma sat on the sidelines so little Van #3 stayed put! Hubby celebrated the big 2-7 we spent time with family for Thanksgiving and got the news that one of hubby's aunts was diagnosed with cancer. BOO!
We finally made it to December, I'm not sure how but it sure did fly as we kept B-U-S-Y! First was my birthday and the annual gathering of the Pix3rd ladies at BFFAE's house. Then craft fairs, musicals, Christmas shopping, and baby showers!
Which brings us up to date, 2013 has babies, weddings, and so much more scheduled. 2012 taught me we can never count on these things, there's a big guy upstairs who's really in charge but I have faith that throughout this year despite any ups and downs I can always count on friends, family, and faith to get us through.
Happy 2013 everyone!
I'm still getting into this whole blog thing, and while I don't feel like my main focus is going to be blogging about stamps like I once thought, I'm gonna hang out here for awhile and see where it takes me. My BFFAE (best friend forever and ever) actually introduced me to this crazy world of blogs long before I was a stamper and I plan to use her for my inspiration to keep up with my own. If she can continue to keep up with it, I can too, which is why I'm here now. At almost 1:30 AM. Lord, help me tomorrow when I can't figure out how to function.
So, after seeing the 2012 reflection that my BFFAE blogged, then finding her sister's new blog and her 2012 reflection, I thought to myself that's exactly where I need to start. As 2012 came to a close, I had a lot of reflections on the past year and where I thought it was headed. Boy was I wrong!
In January I was working as a classroom aide in pre-k. I never thought I would want to work with kids that young but boy had I come to love those little babies as my own! The teacher I worked with, Karen, and I had been able to refresh after the much needed Christmas break and were ready for what the semester held for us: our dreaded state evaluation. I was also trying my hand at "coaching" I was just the assistant, but never having been an athlete it was an interesting experience. I also began the countdown to hubby's graduation from chiropractic school, April 21 wouldn't get here soon enough!
February brought the big day, while waiting out front for our little darlings to arrive Karen and I saw a strange, ok not strange, but unfamiliar, woman enter the building and we knew this was it. We passed the eval, and the only things we we had points deducted in we're areas that we personally couldn't control. With that over the rest of the year would be smooth sailing.
March came, and so did the budget cuts. Anyone in education in Illinois right now knows our budget sucks. There's really no other way to put it. Karen and I both learned we would be cut along with the pre-k program, so it was job hunting time for me.
April was finally here, just 21 short days until graduation, I couldn't have been more proud to watch my hubby become Dr. Chris. Our life as a real married couple could begin and we could leave that icky student life behind. Between graduation on the 21st and our 3rd anniversary on the 25th we were ready to celebrate, what could go wrong? I'll tell you what can go wrong. April 23rd. I received a phone call after school from my BFFAE, her fiancé, went to his eternal home so much sooner than any of us could have dreamed. I went from an absolute high to one of the lowest lows I've had in my life. A mutual friend and I immediately took off to be with her, to help make horrible phone calls, for hugs, and to just be there. The next few days were an absolute blur and I'm thankful for Karen and my boss for being so understanding of my space cadet-ness for the next few weeks.
May came and I was in full job hunting mode. It was difficult because even though hubby had graduated he was still debating on where to start practice. The district that I was working in had recalled Karen and decided to fund the program on their own, but on a smaller scale. They did have a teaching opening become available so I jumped at it. It was then I truly learned the meaning of small town/school politics as the job was offered to someone else even though I had worked in the building under different capacities the past 4 years. I believe everything happens for a reason and decided it wasn't meant to be because I needed to be able to go where hubby got a job.
June came and BFFAE's fantastically amazing big sis decided we were going to get together and celebrate our girl the day we had originally planned to have her bridal shower. We didn't want her to have to face this day alone and wanted to remind her once again how great she is and how much she means to all of us. Despite the HOT weather, we had a great turn out and while there was a big void from what we wished we were doing instead I think everyone had a great time. Hubby and I also took a trip with baby brudder and his gf to my heaven on earth: Disney World.
July is then definition of summer for me: fireworks, baseball, and county fairs! Well, we had to cancel the fireworks because of such dry conditions but I still got baseball and fairs in! It was a hard adjustment for me to be in Busch and not see #5 standing on first and TLR in the dugout but as the reigning World Series Champs, I got over it. I just LOVE the boys in red! County fair season was in full swing and not one, but TWO of my cousins were crowned as their respective county's queens! I can't wait to cheer them on at the state pageant in 3 weeks! D and Hannie weren't the only winners this year, I finally got the nerve to enter some of my photography in the hobby contest and not only had several place, but also received Grand Champion photo! In addition to all that my brother in law got engaged!
August came and I was still unemployed, I was beginning to panic. Hubby had JUST found a job and things were going to be tight until he established a good client base if I still had nothing. But fate stepped in and God provided. I was offered a one-on-one aide position in a district in the same town hubby was starting work in just two days before school started. It seemed like a sign. We quickly put our house on the market and set up temporary residence with my mom and step-dad and got to work.
September was full of our new normal, living with parents again, new jobs, new lifestyle. My top priority though, was making sure BFFAE knew that even though our plans had been changed for us, she could still count on me to be there supporting her on what was supposed to be her wedding day, and every day. We got together with her family as well as Robo's family for a potluck. It turned out to be a beautiful day and was the perfect solution to what we all needed. In addition we had a health scare when my mother in law fell and hit her head in a parking lot. We suspected she was having an aneurysm, but thankfully it wasn't. She is slowly but surely recovering.
October flew by and our house was still not selling, we did some extra sprucing up and hoped for the best. While we are still waiting we have faith that once the weather is nicer things will happen! It was also time for me to start prepping for another good friend's wedding, bachelorette parties and bridal showers were what I did.
November I made my bridesmaid debut. KMeff became Sra. Seis and I danced the night away with two little cuties while their very preggo momma sat on the sidelines so little Van #3 stayed put! Hubby celebrated the big 2-7 we spent time with family for Thanksgiving and got the news that one of hubby's aunts was diagnosed with cancer. BOO!
We finally made it to December, I'm not sure how but it sure did fly as we kept B-U-S-Y! First was my birthday and the annual gathering of the Pix3rd ladies at BFFAE's house. Then craft fairs, musicals, Christmas shopping, and baby showers!
Which brings us up to date, 2013 has babies, weddings, and so much more scheduled. 2012 taught me we can never count on these things, there's a big guy upstairs who's really in charge but I have faith that throughout this year despite any ups and downs I can always count on friends, family, and faith to get us through.
Happy 2013 everyone!
Friday, December 21, 2012
Stampin' Slump
I haven't blogged for-ev-er and it feels like I haven't stamped for about as long. With trying to get a house sold and searching for a new one to buy all of my stampin' supplies are not in their correct "homes" but more in bags and boxes and here and there. Can't wait for it all to be back together where it belongs! I'm not the most organized person in the world, except for when it comes to my stamps! If they're not neat and organized I just can't function. I did manage to get my Christmas cards cranked out at a crop I went to in November, and somehow managed to make some cards to take to a cookie walk for the pre-school my friend, Hannah, teaches at. Other than that I've spent all my time focused on my cousin's Fair Queen Scrapbook (which was a 1st place winner, thank you very much) and now I need to get some "post cards" printed and stamped for her to give out at the open house she has for people to wish her luck before State. I have, however; been very good at keeping up with my blog reading, and it makes me wish I was better at my own, so I'm gonna try to be a little better at it, maybe challenge myself to keep up with those I follow. I may not talk about stampin' everyday or my latest project, but I'll do what I can until my craft room is back together.
Happy Stampin'!
Happy Stampin'!
Friday, June 15, 2012
Epic Fail...
I knew I was terrible at keeping blogs up to date but I never imagined I'd be this terrible! To make up for it, if there's anyone left out there....*crickets*.....I'm going to post some of the projects that I've done since I last posted. I'm having a bit of trouble getting my pictures to upload at the moment though, so as soon as that's taken care of I will be all over it.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Finally some pictures!!!
So it's only taken me since August to finally get around to updating! I'm going to try to get some pictures uploaded with this post so just bare with me!
I'm going to start off with the cards for my first 2 months of club. I wanted to do something easy but fun for September because I had a couple of new stampers coming and I didn't want them to get scared by some complicated technique but I also wanted my more experienced stampers to enjoy themselves. I used the stamp sets Out on a Limb and Festive & Fun, both from the holiday mini as well as the Spiderweb embossing folder from the IB&C. The base is Pumpkin Pie, the embossed panel is Lucky Limeade, and the mat behind the cute little witch is Rich Razzleberry.
I actually had my club participants switch the Razzleberry and Limeade as I liked the look of it better, but I forgot to take a picture of it when I switched it and then gave my card to one of the members who couldn't make it the night of club. The witch is stamped on Very Vanilla even though it kind of looks more like Whisper White in the picture! Also, it doesn't show up very well in the picture but the witch is sponged lightly in Basic Black on the edges. I had them do a few cutesy things for the inside of the card...
Happy stamping and crafting to anyone who might be out there reading this. I promise now that I've gotten things rolling I won't keep you waiting so long!
I'm going to start off with the cards for my first 2 months of club. I wanted to do something easy but fun for September because I had a couple of new stampers coming and I didn't want them to get scared by some complicated technique but I also wanted my more experienced stampers to enjoy themselves. I used the stamp sets Out on a Limb and Festive & Fun, both from the holiday mini as well as the Spiderweb embossing folder from the IB&C. The base is Pumpkin Pie, the embossed panel is Lucky Limeade, and the mat behind the cute little witch is Rich Razzleberry.
I had them tear the image out and then sponge the edges in Limeade. The friendly little spiders are also from the Out on a Limb set.
And since I'm so far behind I thought I'd go ahead and show you the card for October's club.
This was CASE'd from the card on page 16 of the Holiday Mini. My sideline actually came up with it at our September meeting and my upline and I both liked it so much we decided to make it in October too! It uses the Spice Cake DSP (LOVE!) and the Gently Falling and Always Thankful stamp sets, also from the Holiday Mini. Add a little linen thread and a naturals button and voila! Super excited to show this card off!
Last but not least a Congratulations card. It's not exactly the best card I ever made, or my favorite but I whipped it together for my BFFAE (Best Friend Forever And Ever) for her ENGAGEMENT! I was super excited and she's planning to use yellow, gray, an black as her wedding colors so I did what I could to show them off as well. I got the build a blossom stamp set and punch in my starter kit and have had the (discontinued) swirls and curls hostess set from the last summer mini all waiting around to get inky so it was the perfect occasion! As the first of the gang to get married I'm super excited to finally be a bridesmaid! I was beginning to think I needed to coin a new phrase: Only a bride, never a bridesmaid! So so happy for Erin and Robert!
Happy stamping and crafting to anyone who might be out there reading this. I promise now that I've gotten things rolling I won't keep you waiting so long!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Sorry...again =(
So I've pretty much epic failed at keeping up with this thing! Don't worry, I haven't forgotten, just been crazy busy. I've officially signed up to be a Stampin' Up! demo now though so I'm hoping to get some projects posted on here. (We've all heard that before!) I had my first workshop today and it was alright but I wish I would have had better attendance. =(
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