Hey ya there! I have decided that I have had my head in the sand long enough and it's time to come back full force ... with that, I need a new look. I came across this free template and I really liked it .. although I must admit I think I may rather save it for the fall and find myself something bright and spring like!

Tell me ... what do you think?

Regardless .. happy to be back in the blogging world .. I have missed it and my blogging buddies! :) Maybe tomorrow between housework and kids, I can actually post about something important .. like my Alexa's awesome 7th B-day! WINK

MMMMMMMMMMMMWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAA!

Oh my ... I am excited about many products this CHA, but this takes the cake! Glimmer Glaze from Tattered Angels! For those that aren't quite sure what that is, have a look at this You Tube video .. can't wait to see it this product up close and personal! LOL

A very appropriate poem for my life right now ... I thought I'd share it with you so you can keep it under your pillow for the days you are finding your resolutions hard. It inspires me!

ENJOY!

DON'T QUIT
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow--
You may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor's cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out--
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.
- Author unknown

Makes me wanna get my arse in gear! LOL

MMMMMMMMMMMWWWWWAAAA and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I'm not .. honestly! It's not been a great year! While yes I have retired from the military, it wasn't without heartache and dismay! I have had people come and go in my life, I have had fights, and weeping and internal anguish. I have had family business, relationship ups and downs, friends who aren't really friends ... I have had to step back more than once to reevaluate my life. This isn't a sob post .. it's a post of truths! It's a time .. more symbolic I suppose with the new year, to readjust and to chuck what doesn't fit ... in all realms of my life! It's time for a clean slate, and I'm allowing myself that self indulgence. I am who I am and I owe no one. LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT!

I am blessed ... I have a beautiful family, beautiful friends, a hobby I indulge in, other talents that I need to revisit, a chance to indulge my children's youth, and participate in their lives more so than many moms. I have a roof over my head, and food in my belly. I have a husband whom I adore (even while there are times I think I don't ...lol), a best friend like no other, a group of friends that make me laugh, and I have a big heart! I am seriously not wanting fro anything.

Any emptiness and concern I feel, is really of my own making! So I ring in 2010 with no real resolutions .. because that sets me up to fail. I ring in 2010 and with a clean slate, a clean slate for myself, and will only place my energy into something that is derserving of it. There is not much to want in my life! Sometimes I just need to remind myself of that ...LOL

HAPPY NEW YEAR and may 2010 be a year of love, wealth in all, and happiness!

MMMMMMMWWWAAAAAAAAAAA
XOOX

I should of listened to the warnings .. but I didn't and got playing Farmville via facebook! Now it has consumed so much time it's ridiculous ... I have neglected my daily tasks ... my to do list .. and I can't afford to do that! LMAO

TODAY I PLEDGE .... I can't play anymore until I cross some things off the list! SO SAD and certainly embarrassing! LMAO

On the home front .. not much happening! I went to bed last night with a wicked headache (probably too much computer) and woke up this morning to find my living room rearranged! LMAO John was a busy beaver! I guess he wanted to get a jump on our family decorating. We are getting our tree this weekend, and doing our annual family decorating ... setting up our mini villiage, and odds and sods around the house! I'm really looking forward to it!

I am going to do some baking with the girls too ... we went to the bulk barn and bought some sprinkles and cookie toppers for their cut out sugar cookies. Making some peanut butter chocolate balls today!

I've finished some Xmas gifts .. but obviously can't post them yet .. so I'll do it in the New Year!

Katie and I made a pact that we are going to train together starting January for the May Ottawa run. I am hoping we'll do the 10km, but will be just as happy to do the 5km! I think this will be a good partnership as we are always so highly competitive (in a good way), so why not use that to our advantage and get healthy and lose some pounds! I am writing it here for all to read so that we are held to it by our friends! LMAO

Anyways .. justa quick update ... will try and post some internet findings later this week!

MMMMMMMMMWWWWWWWWWWWWWWAAAAA!

The title says it all .. here are a few LO's that I have done but not posted yet! Some are older and some are newer!

Here is a LO I did a while ago of my nephew Noah and my girls!

LO - MY CUZ


The next one was kind of a TEE HEE between Katie and I. We have this thing with calling eachother ARSEWIPE! I know silly but if you knew us then you'd get it. Anyways we both has to scrap this pic ... here is mine. Kind of pretty for such a nasty topic .. but them it occured to me .. that was PERFECT! Kinda pretty and dirty all at the same time ... just like my friendship with my ArseWipe! She thinks the title should be a movie a title .. LMAO FREAKIN KATIE!

LO - ADORATION ANTICIPATION OF THE ARSE


Here is Katie's .. and I love the humour and creative edge she had here .. and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE that she included Stechie! LOL




Just an everyday LO of my girls making those dorky faces!

LO -WHAT U LOOKING AT?


This LO below is one of my faves. I HEART the Prima products used here! I used an embossed Bazzill CS, and glimmer misted it to all heck ... soaked it right into the CS. Then I peeled the top layer of the CS and used it on the LO. I handcut all the birds!

LO - ONCE UPON A TIME


On a side note, I have been hired to do a wedding album for a military friend of mine! Here are a couple of the Lo's that I was willing to sneek peek to her.

LO - HAPPINESS


with the hidden journalling tag showing!



LO - WEDDING PARTY


LO - MY WORLD


Isn't she a gorgeous bride?? Man ... the canvas was not hard to work with at all! I am not too happy with the last LO thruthfully, but it's done and that's that. I do like the little chipboard wedding pieces however. Once again, I spritz the chipboard with three different glimmer mists to compliment the papers, and then crystal laquered the top! Looks much better IRL!

Well that is is for now .. I have a few more of my own LO's to share but need to finish my journalling and then snap the pics .. so maybe in a few months I'll actually get around to posting them! LOL

Have a good one and thanks for looking!

MMMMMMMMWWWWAAAAAAAAAAA!

There are times when I wonder if wearing your heart on your sleeve is worthwhile. There are times I wish that I could just rip it off so that it keeps sheltered, and unbroken .... but for those I wishes ... I wouldn't change the fact that it's there .. big and on my sleeve! It breaks, it loves, it's full of passion, it's jealous, it's kind and at times unkind, but it's mine .. and today I had another life lesson thrown my way, and another reason why I am glad it's there, wide and open and on my sleeve ... today I saw it through my beautiful daughter's character and spirit. I have passed on something to her, and I know it's me she has learned it through because since her birth, she and I have always had a sensitive kind of connection. I know what she thinks, and I know how she feels without her words ever expressing it .. I know because she is me!

Alexa is 6 ... but a wise 6. She is everthing sensitive and kind, she feels BIG whether she is feeling sad, angry, happy, kind. BIG! BIG BIG BIG! She catches the little things and if they touch her soul, they stick .. and she learns from it.

Tonight she cuddled up with me and we watched the movie Into The Wild.

If you haven't seen this movie I highly recommend it. It's nothing that makes you jump out of your seat. It's not full of action, or a high nab you and you can't walk away kind of movie. It's a story. A great story, and a story that makes you look internally. It's directed by Sean Penn (enough said there), starring Emile Hersch. It's based on a true story about a young college graduate that pretty much says F U to society, and to cash (he actually donates over 24 grand to charity.. his savings) and embarks on a life changing adventure to the Alaskan wilderness. Along his way, he meets some amazing people that enrich his life. Ultimately, the wild changes him, and his life and not all for the good! I don't want to spoil this so I will leave it at that!

Now back to my Lexa. John and I are pretty liberal parents. Meaning, I don't shelter my children from much. We would rather be present and explain and answer questions, than sweeping things under the rug or by them having to learn it from someone else untruthfully. So tonight Alexa asked me all kind of questions about this young mans adventures. She was completely engrossed in the story, and laughed where it was appropriate, and cried where it was due. She just opened her heart to it all. I was so amazed that she is so young but could really feel in the most appropriate manner!

After the movie, she started to cry again, and said "Mommy, do you remember the man when he was so sad? When he was sitting in the middle of the road and crying .. that made me so sad for him" She then began to paraphrase the reason behind it. I then had a heart to heart with my angel, and told her that she was lucky that she could be sad when it was okay to feel sad. That some adults don't even know how to feel like that. I told her because she could feel the sad, that makes her heart big to really appreciate and feel the good too. I told her that her life is going to be so rich because she feels so big.

SHE AMAZES ME. I know some might think .. she is too young to differentiate .. but I say NO WAY! She is a rich rich soul, and it shows in everything she does. her dance, her singing, her play, her arguements .. she is passionate! I see big things in life for my girl .. and yes I am biased as I am her mom .. but she really is going to leave her mark someday .. YOU MARK MY WORDS!

MMMMMMMMMMMMMWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA