help

Hi girls,
I am especially "challenged" when it comes to different things........(as most of you know). If I can't copy or scraplift it........forgetabboutit. LOL. But, at least I recognize it. Ha.

So, here is my latest dilemma. (and there are MANY).
I HAD to have this memo board and I purchased it today with a gc I have been saving. I thought it would look perfect in my scraproom next to my scrapbox when and if I ever get it put together. Okay, I digress.......
My question is.................it is plain and boring as it is right now. Soooooooooo, how do I alter it????? any help, ideas, photos, or suggestions appreciated.
Hell, any offers to do it for me, even more so. Okay, I will do it myself, if someone just tells me what the hell to do. LOL.

Thanks,
Jackie

Thoughts and Prayers

My very dear friend, Miss Amanda(okay, she could be my child as I have known her since she was in my 2nd and 3rd grade classes wayyyyyyyy back when), is having major surgery today at Walter Reed Army hospital today.

Please pray that all goes well and say an xtra prayer for this VERY special young lady. I am so very proud of her courage and the fine woman that she has grown into.

Thomas Rocks!!

Okay, so I REALLY wished that I had only bought two tickets, I thought about trying to get out of it(asking Nanny to go) and I am terribly ashamed to admit, that Thomas the Tank Engine Saves the Day was a FANTASTIC show!!
My lil guy(and his daddy for that matter) were completely mesmorized!!!! Neither one moved or spoke the entire show(one and a half hours long). I have never seen Joshy so enthralled with something. I am also embarrassed to admit, that I was not only humming, but singing the songs outloud-NO not as loudly as a Billy Joel concert, but nonetheless.

If you had told me five years ago this week that I would have a toddler who was the center of my world, that my daddy wouldn't be here to see it and that I would have a debilitating neurological disorder I would have said you were NUTS to each and every one.

But, life sure does work in mysterious ways, doesn't it?!
And, I wouldn't change a minute of it. I enjoy every "samn dingle" moment of it.

Huggles to all.

check this out....

http://flc.nationalmssociety.org/site/PageServer?pagename=FLC_events_homepage

please share this link and post it in your blogs.
Thanks bunches,
Jackie

it is SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY

We have had a busy busy weekend so far and it is only Sunday morning!!

The pool party at Helen's was sooooooo nice last night. A bit too buggy, but that's okay. Guess that is whatchya get when you live on the water(jealous here). My "boys" had soooooo much fun with her boys. John got to fish, swim and relax. I got girl talk/chatting and catching up. Gosh, didn't realize just how much I miss it.

Today we are going to see Thomas, Live on Stage. I am hoping that I can get SOMETHING accomplished in this scrap room beforehand. I can't find my table, have yet to put away the stuff I bought on our trip(been home TWO weeks nearly) and my SCRAPBOX doesn't have the first shelf in it yet. Damn it. I soooooooooo want to get organized.

Anyone wanna "borrow" a really cute two year old for a day or so which will enable me to get my shit together? LOL.
Seriously, if I could get him otherwise occupied, I might just get everything where it belongs long enough for him to come and destroy it. HA.

I am also desperate to make some page kits for the crop in Sebring next weekend.

Are you having a productive weekend?
The first person who responds to this post.............gets.....................

$5 off an MS Crop for Hope t-shirt.
Now lets see if anyone bothers to read this thing. LOL.

Have a gr-8 Sunday everyone.

shopping -ugh

now i will tell u that in a former life, it was one of my favorite things to do. NOT so much anymore, esp. with a two year old runnin round every store.

i am already sick of looking at pool and patio furniture and they haven't even broken ground. i thought it might be smart to look now while things are on sale and available. believe it or not, it IS a seasonable item even in sunny tpa. the pool type places will have them all year, but other retail places will not. oh well.
i have made my decisions and now it is up to dh to figure it all out. he has to think everything thru and scrutinize. kwim?

off to a pool party and bbq. should be fun if the rain stays away.

keep up the great work Miami Dawn!!
http://fldawn.typepad.com/inspiration_alley/

Don't forget

to go to Miami Dawn's blog and visit her blog-a-thon.
She is an amazing person to do this for such a good cause.
http://fldawn.typepad.com/inspiration_alley/

ahh the weekend

which means that there will be daddy time and I might actually get some help and a break here and there. joshy has been cranky for a couple of days. aunt sue swears he is getting sick and although he isn't acting sick, he sure is cranky. cranky two year old makes for one very cranky Mommy. LOL.

I also need some serious time to get organized for next weekend's crop. I have high aspirations of actually completing something in Sebring. It sure will be nice to be Jackie for an entire weekend.
I haven't seen Miami Dawn in too long and Helen and I haven't been "roomies" since she packed her stuff and moved out of our classroom in May when she went on Maternity leave. So I am really looking forward to it.

The MS Crop is taking over my entire living room. I swear, the boxes look like the puzzle game Janga. Do NOT attempt to add or remove another thing or the whole pile is comin down!! Ha ha.

We are going to Helen's pool party today. I am looking forward to that too. Tomorrow is THOMAS & FRIENDS LIVE ON STAGE.......I got the tickets for John for Father's Day. I really should have only gotten two and HE could have taken Joshy and I could have had me-time, but we will enjoy Thomas together as a family.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

get ready to blog

So my very close and dear friend, affectionately known as Miami Dawn is participating in a twenty four hour blog a thon this weekend.
Read all about it and help support her cause.
GO DAWN GO!!
http://www.fldawn.typepad.com/

Catching Up

I swear that there is never a vacation taken, that I personally,do not need a vacation from!!
It is more work to travel, come home, unpack and get back into the swing of things sometimes than the vacation itself is worth.
Okay, not really, but it does OFTEN feel that way.

I am all unpacked now, although not certain if dh put the suitcases away. They were piled in the guestroom the last time that I saw them, which is fine with me as long as I am not tripping over them. I have enough to trip over in every other room. I am seriously beginning to wonder if the day ever comes that there will be at least one square inch of floor space in my 2200 square foot house that does not have either choo choo's on it or their tracks? Anyone? Ferris? SOmeone please tell me that it will change. He has a perfectly great play area downstairs(it used to be known as a living room , but no more) and, his bedroom that he refuses to sleep in has a whole area to play in. But, NOOOOOOOOO. All trains and tracks MUST be dragged into MY room and lef there, despite my many efforts and attempts to return them to their rightful storage area.
Grrrrrrrrrrr. Too early in the morning for this much venting, sorry.

I long for a day of sunshine as my tan is seriously fading. Can someone send Mr. Sunshine my way? Thanks.

Have a great Tuesday.

my head is spinning

There is so much going on these days.

Trying to unpack is NOT fun and oh do I still have a MOUNAIN of laundry to do and put away. Then let's talk how filthy a house that NO ONE was in for 8 days is? YIKES. So, I should be cleaning, but whatever.................I think I will just get dressed and leave. Can't be too dirty if I don't have to see it right? Ha.

Actually, I think I will just call Angela, my cleaning lady and let her work some magic here. SOON.

It is unreal to me that before I know it I will be back at work. Considering I was pretty much dreading this summer and not working, I can't even say that I miss it at all. I know that I will be xcited once it starts, but not yet. I am xcited about the new team that I will be working with, but 3rd grade again. Gosh they are little. There will be plenty o' time to get back into teacher mode.

The MS Crop is coming together. I got a bunch of emails about it while I was away and have responded to most/or almost all of them.
I am trying to solidify the classes that will be taught and get the t-shirts ordered. Gotta check those things off my to do list by the beginning of next week.

Okay, off to shower and disappear. Think I will go pick up the rest of the pics from the trip before I go to pick up Aunt Sue's birthday cake.

Happy Birthday to one unbelievably fantastic woman, my Aunt Sue.

also

My new laptop arrived today. Now, if I could get it outta the box and up n running in between unpacking, life would be good!! lol

Forgot to mention

That I hit every scrap store that I could find out there.
The Treasure Box in Ft. Collins is as amazing, if not better, than I remembered it to be 3 years ago when I was there.
Also hit another one in Ft. Collins. Don't remember the name, but I only spent $7. Does that tell ya anything. HA.

There was a craft store in Wyoming............oh my. What a sad little store. The MOST exciting thing they had to offer were Coluzzle patterns and Sticko packs. It was pathetic.

There was a store in S. Dakota that is located in a pretty nice mall.......Rushmore Mall. Okay, we are talking mall RENT here. I can honestly say that w/o Crop for Hope donations I personally, have more inventory than this store.!!

She didnt' have a single magazine or idea book?! She did have some SD/Mount Rushmore/ Colorado page kits that I had to have, but jeez.

Okay, laundry, laundry laundry and unpacking. NOT the best part of coming home but oh so glad to be here.

time zone?!

Okay, so our plane arrived at about 11:30pm last night into TIA from Denver. Not xactly sure what time zone my body is on at the moment. I stayed up til 2am, something I haven't done in YEARS, and I was up about 8am. Joshy just now woke up and it is after 10. Guess he is on Colorado time for now.

We had a wonderful trip. I will post details and photos soon. Beautiful scenery, but NOTHING is as good as coming home even from a wonderful trip.

Poor John was up and out early this morning.........back to work. I am glad to have a few more weeks.

Oh and I forgot the MOST xciting part of our weekend.
R U ready for this???????

Well, we signed on the dotted line for our POOL!!!!!!!!!!! Woo Hoo. I am sooooooooo excited I can not even convey. The permit paperwork goes in tomorrow.

It is going to be AWESOME. Rock waterfall, sun-deck in the water, jacuzzi jets, salt system, cleaning shark, HUGE cage and gorgeous landscaping.
I can hardly wait.

So our bags are packed and I am guessing we are ready to go. As always, when traveling, I am feeling a bit of apprehension, but I am sure that will pass. Heck pop an Ambien CR and at least I will get to sleep.

I am panicky about traveling with Joshy, who doesn't sit still for one second much less three hours. But, it will be fine.

Have a great week,

Almost ready, I think

Had a nice Saturday yesterday. We took Joshy to the Largo park where they run the FREE choo choo's once per month. The lil guy was in his GLORY! I must also add that it is one of the nicest playgrounds that I have ever been too. The ONLY drawback was the heat. OMG was it HOT. Then we took him over to Nanny's house and dh and I had a well deserved and MUCH needed grown up dinner at Carrabba's. YUM. It was nice to NOT have to chase him around the place.

I am trying to pack for Colorado and get everything situated before my class tomorrow and our flight on Tues morning. LOTS of laundry to do. DH took lil guy out for awhile so hopefully, I can finish up what I need to.

Have a great Sunday.

stuff

Classes for the Crop are getting organized and I must admit-I am getting xcited .....I LUV all of the planning and watching it all fall into place.

Amanda is working on her "theme" for her paper bag class. Stacey is working on her chipboard album class. Here is a link to the cover.........http://sos-brainfreeze.blogspot.com/2007/06/whats-next.html

I am working with Elle to plan something fantabulous.

BB8 was fun last night. I already luv and hate it. So, you KNOW it is going to be a great summer when they can do that on the first episode. LOL.

So glad it is Friday again. Then I get dh to help out and we can do some fun family stuff. Hopefully, he can take the lil guy somewhere for awhile so that I can attempt to pack. Putting stuff into a suitcase while Joshy takes it OUT is most unproductive and we have an EARLY flight on Tuesday so this will be my only shot.

Have a great weekend everyone.

BB 8

Life is good and summer is surely here cause BIG BROTHER 8 begins tonite. Woo hoo.
Sad that a television show can make me so happy-lol, but that show just cracks me up.

Can't wait!

MS Crop for Hope

So, I realize that September will be here before we know it and that is starting to freak me out just a bit.

I have the design for the t-shirts and let me tell you, Betsy and Jim got into my head and made them xactly as I had pictured. I am very xcited about that. All the girls that responded to my color of shirts post have helped to narrow down the decision. I am going to get them ordered soon. I am a bit nervous about how many to order-don't want to have too many that they sit in my garage until next year and then, I don't want to run out either. Decisions Decisions. LOL.

The donations are plentiful, yet registrations are still lacking. The very same thing happened last year when they all started pouring in at the end. But, I don't mind adding that I am getting a bit nervous about it all.

Joshy has been a really good boy lately. It is kinda nice. I am so enjoying my time with him this summer. He has become a real little person, with a quick wit and always smiling. I KNOW my dad would be so proud.

Okay, off to figure out what we are going to do for the 4th. The weather is not going to cooperate I can already tell. Oh well.

Happy Birthday USA. Everyone be safe!!

Tuesday Tuesday

I had a really nice day today. I still have NOT touched my scrapbox. Perhaps someone, anyone, PUHLEEZE can "borrow" a cute lil blonde kiddo and take him somewhere, anywhere away from here so I can attempt to get started on organizing...............HELP.

Spent the better part of the day floating in Aunt Sue's pool. I need to get one of those-soon. I have one estimate from last year and I am going to call a couple other companies and get some more so I can have this hole dug back here. I MEAN it.

I also gave in and bought a laptop today. I had to order it from Office Depot and it should be here about the time we return from our trip out to Colorado and South Dakota.

Other than all that, life is good. I am going to go attempt to get this room in some kind of order. Okay who am I kidding, I won't do that. LOL.

DH is off tomorrow, so hoping the weather holds out to do something like Adventure Island, Busch Gardens or the like. We have passes and to the Aquarium and zoo too. We are going to pass on going to fireworks. It is just toooooooo damn hot for me to not be in water and out in the heat. Makes me feel icky. Plus, Joshy is still at the age where he is scared to death of them, does NOT like loud noises.

I am dying to go to RR this week. Anyone up for a road trip????????? LMK

AHHH Paradise

So, I was birthday napped this last weekend and taken to Sanibel Island........true PARADISE.

When John and I first started dating 5 years ago, he took me to the West Wind Inn on Sanibel. I think that is where we both realized this was "it". What a beautiful hotel, setting, everything.
We made reservations to go back in August before Joshy was born. It was to be our last vacation without a kiddo. Well a little storm named Charley cancelled that trip as the hotel received MAJOR damage and had to undergo some major renovations.

For whatever reasons-life mainly, it has taken us this long to go back. We went back with some reservations as to what the island would be like after being hit by the storm, but I am so very happy to report, it is even more magnificent.

From the room, to the view, to the beach, sand, shells, pool, nice people we met, the weather, fishing, you name it.........oh the boat ride and dolphins playing "tag with the boat". Could not have asked for a better birthday gift.

A true delight and photos to scrap. YEAH!!