how bizarre

                                               

We looked out our kitchen window the other day and spotted this in our tree.  It looked huge and I thought for sure a cat had climbed up into our tree and it was stuck.

A close look revealed a squirrel!

My next thought was that it was dead in our tree and how the heck were we going to get it down.  This squirrel had been laying there not moving for at least 5-10 minutes.

But apparently it was a piping hot day and he just needed a cool place to rest.

We turned around for a second and he was gone.  He came back later that day to rest in his spot again.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

here I am

I'm back.....

It has been a terribly long week and a half.

Thank you for all of the kind comments and emails.  It means a lot!

I had planned to post with some pictures tonight, but the night got away from me and I'm way to tired to even think about getting off the couch! :)

I've got a good little surprise in store tomorrow that should bring a smile to everyone's face.  Maybe not something you expect though.

It will be interesting.  I can honestly say I have never seen anything like it.

so much sorrow

My sister's boyfriend, Dave, was a spray pilot. 

On May 16th, he clipped an abandoned power line that he was unaware of.

My sister and her kids were supposed to leave to go visit him in a week.  Instead she is doing the unthinkable.

This week continues to be filled with sorrow.  I can't even imagine doing what she is doing this week and how she is getting through it.

Just hug your loved ones tight.  You just never know how fast things can change.

heartbreak

Sorry I have been MIA for awhile.  

We got news this weekend that my sister's boyfriend was killed in an accident. 

It has left a huge hole in all of our hearts.  He was, for all the ways it mattered, a husband to her, a dad to her kids, and a part of our family.

It isn't fair and it isn't right.  I don't think anyone that met him had a bad word to say about him.  He was the absolute nicest guy you would ever meet.  You just keep thinking that they made a mistake, that it can't be him.

The past few days have been terribly hard for us.  We are devastated and I can only imagine what my sister and her kids feel like.  Indescribable pain.  He was everything to them and brought such joy and fun to their lives when they needed it most.  They depended on him.  They were a family.

You try to do anything you can to help, but there is only one thing she wants.  Him.  I can't give that to her. 

So I will be taking a short hiatus until I can type without tears streaming down my face, until there is something I feel happy about writing about, until life starts to continue on and you have no choice but to keep up.

Challenge page

Here is my last challenge page that I finished.  

Include memorabilia

I used Photoshop to put the photos into the strips.  The strips are from Designer Digitals.

It has been a gloomy, rainy week here and my mood is matching lately.  It is hard to put yourself in a great mood when the weather is so crummy.  I'm really hoping for some sun in the next couple of days.  

I did make myself a tasty little treat that is helping brighten my mood.  This is one of my favorite snacks.  I could eat it all day long!

All you do is cut up some fruit (I usually use strawberries, grapes, and kiwi) and scoop it up with these tasty Stacy's Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips.  YUMMY!!!!  You could also make your own tortillas in the oven with cinnamon and sugar.  I haven't tackled that yet.

I had this at a friend's house a couple of years ago and have been addicted ever since.  The fruit is a pain to cut up into small pieces, but it is worth the time once you are ready to eat!  Only make enough to eat that day or maybe into the next day.  It starts to get kinda mushy after that and get lots of juice in it.

Enjoy!

Glasses

It all started with these silly glasses.  

I was trying to entertain Khloe for awhile and started making silly glasses and mustaches out of her playdoh.

 

Well the next morning rolls around and we are back to playing with the playdoh.  Troy sees me making more glasses for Khloe.

He grabs the playdoh and instantly I know what is coming.

Never one to be outdone.....I'm waiting anxiously to see what he comes up with.

Calculating his next move

Working hard can't you tell?

1st attempt

(I can't help but let out a little giggle to let him know he has been defeated.)

 

3rd or 4th attempt

(and I have the pictures in between to prove it)

7th or 8th attempt he finally gets them on his face (though not very well) and he is HAPPY!

Happy Mother's Day

I know I say this every week, but man that weekend goes fast!  

I did finish my layout, but by the time I did the sky was clouded over and I had no decent light to take a picture.  So I will hopefully get a good one tomorrow and post the page tomorrow.

The challenge last week was 

Include Memorabilia

This week I am going to try my hardest to tackle two pages.  WOW....I know.  Here goes.....

Finish a page in 30 minutes 

(I really don't think it is possible)

Use products from a blind grab into your stash

(scary)

So those will be my two pages to finish this week.  I must say, flipping through the book now, it is getting hard to remember which challenges I have already done.  I need to just go through and mark all the ones that I still need to do...there are still quite a few!

I had a great Mother's Day.  It really wasn't anything different from every other Sunday, but that is ok too.  It sounds really cliche to say, but almost every day is Mother's Day around here.  I have the best little family.  We really don't need to do anything special.  Just getting to spend time with them is alright with me.  Well fine, a trip to Hawaii would have been nice too.  Maybe next year.

I did manage to talk my little peanut into a picture.  There was lots of begging on my end to get a nice picture with a big smile.

It will be finished

Even though I have not started my challenge from last week....I am determined to have it done by bedtime. 

Stay tuned.....

blog background

OK, so honestly I am spending just a little too much time on this and it really is not making me very happy. 

 

This is one of the blog backgrounds I have been working on.  Doesn't look like it should have taken me very long right?  WRONG

I have been working on this for the past three nights just trying to get the size right and trying some different options with it.  I haven't even started work on my header and who knows if this will even end up being my new background or if I will throw it out the window and come up with something else.  I think this is one of seven or eight that I have created.  I just can't decide.  I am the WORST at making decisions.

Just so you have an idea when you look at this.....all of the content in my blog right now should will fit in that white, torn piece of paper when this is all over and done with.  Which, at the rate I am moving, should be by May 2011.

Alright, so moving on.  I still need to make a new header, new sidebar titles, and change all of my title fonts.  Hopefully I can knock some of this out over the weekend.

I do have to say, even with all of my frustrations over this, I am learning SO much!  It is fascinating to me how a little html text can change an entire page.  I am a little bit in awe of myself (sorry is that conceited?) that I have even come as far as I have and I am pretty excited to see what I can come up with next.

My three goals for the year were to learn how to design a blog, learn to sew, and finish the 52 challenges.  I just might make it!

Speaking of the challenges.....here we are almost at Friday and no layout has been started.  Eek!  It looks like it is going to be a busy weekend!

blog design

I have been working on picking things out for the big blog redesign.  I thought I would share a few things that I had picked out.  All of these items can be found at Designer Digitals.

I love this torn paper by Katie Pertiet.  I think I will try to use one of these for the main typing area. 

I think one of these will be used for the entire blog background.  Probably the one on the upper left.  These papers are by Anna Aspens.  I love all of her stuff. 

I love these tabbed dates.  Again by Katie Pertiet.  I will use about anything that she makes.  All of her designs are great.  Not really sure what I'm going to do with these at this point, but I would like to try and incorporate them somehow.  Probably the ones with the days of the week and try to label each post with those.

Another design by Katie Pertiet.  I'm guessing I will use these at the top of the page to add some photos, which will add a little color to the blog.

That is about all I have so far.  I'm trying to come up with a new font for the sidebars as well.  It should be an interesting next couple of weeks on my blog.  You may see some really screwy things as I play around, or we can all hope, that it just goes off without a hitch and I get it all figured out beforehand.  Like I said before this is a brand new experience for me.  I have NEVER designed a blog.  I've been doing a lot of research and taking a few classes so we'll see what I can come up with.

Still waiting on some final news on the house to give you.  I can't wait till this process is over.  For those of you who know me well, I am NOT a patient person when it comes to this kind of stuff.  I enjoy knowing where I am going to live and work and the unknown is about killing me.  Talked to our Realtor today and we are hoping to finish things up by the end of the week....as in a final yes or no.  It could be a long couple of days.

No, I did not post a new challenge for the week.  I figured at the rate I'm going I will be lucky to start finish the one from last week.  The nights are just getting away from us.  Khloe is just wide awake until about 9:00, which makes for a short work night for Troy and I.  Hoping to start on my blog tonight!

feeling better

I'm actually feeling somewhat better today.  I think the adjustment at the chiropractor really helped.  I have heard of people going to their chiropractor when they think they are getting sick.  I thought I would give it a try this time and let me tell you....I think it works!

I am no where near done with my challenge page for the week.  Well ok...I haven't even started it.  I may post another one for the week here tonight and try and finish them both this week.

We did manage to make it outside today just for a short time before the wind really picked up.  We got out Khloe's sandbox and she played, played, played.

fighting....

.....pneumonia.

Beginning stage.  Having a tough time breathing, terrible tightness in the chest, and lots of hacking.

I suppose I should thank my daughter for this....at least she is all better.

Probably going to be headed to the doctor on Monday....if I can make it that long.

Wonderful.