My kids

I am so proud of my kids...of course what parent isn't right.

I so forgot to mention when I posted this weekend that my son entered the Google Drawing contest at school. First place was a $15,000 scholarship to any college in Georgia. Would you like to know where he placed. Not first sad to say...but SECOND! Can you believe that! Second out of the entire school. First place went to a senior. And they kept his drawing and will make a T-shirt out of it. I was so proud of him.

Kayla entered another drawing contest in the lunch room and they will choose the winner this week. It's a $50 Gift Certificate to Best Buy!

This weekend flew by. We spent Sunday in Sam's getting our membership, shopping and checking out prices for future purchases. Then Kayla and I headed to Kohl's to buy a new comforter for my bed. A little wild and different looking than my normal style. Then headed to Target to get the Metallica Guitar Hero and yes we played it most of Sunday...lol.

Now back to work and getting ready for our camping trip this weekend. Oh and I actually scrapped a page yesterday! I need to scan it and get it uploaded.

It's been a crazy week

Starting off with my friend Annette....her mom passed away Wednesday night. It was not expected and is just devestating for her. She just lost her father 3 years ago. It has been really sad and heartbreaking. The visitation was Friday night and I was not able to go because Kayla had prom. But I know she knows I was there in spirit.

The prom was great. Minus the rain which hampered taking pictures but we managed. the kids had a great time at least and that is what matters. Billy and I managed to take a quick date and go to the Varsity to eat which is YUM and soooo not good for you. We came back home to wait out the short time frame before we had to go back and pick them up.

Here is one of the pictures I was able to get in the rain.

We had a few dress malfunctions but I was able to figure them out alittle. VERY upset with the place that altered the dress. They sooooo sucked and I had to figure out quick fixes to make it work.

Today we had to take Shadow to the vet. He is losing his hair on his head and has a nice bald spot. They think he may have had some trauma to the head (which he escaped thru the woods the other day) and it just yanked his hair off. Doesn't appear to be anything serious just yet but we are watching it to see. Nothing like having a bald lab.

Dropped off our cans for the Scouting for Food. It's a good feeling to do something for the community. And we also checked out Sam's and decided we will get a membership this weekend. Hopefully will find some great deals worth the membership. We will see.

Now off to read a book. I haven't had time to scrap lately and just don't feel like getting it all out this evening. Maybe tomorrow.

A great weekend

We had a pretty good weekend.

Shawn left Saturday and spent the night with his friend Ricky. They took off hiking Sunday. Even though he was grounded....but...I knew that Ricky's mom would keep him in line. And he came back in such a good mood. It was worth it.

Saturday Billy took the camper to the shop so that we could have a new awning put on for our upcoming camping weekend. We spent the evening walking the dogs around the yard and just spending time together. It was great...and much needed.

Sunday, Billy and I, took off and went to Atlanta to participate in the Atlanta Vision Walk. It was great. The park was beautiful and the weather couldn't of been any better. Once we got home we finished watching the race and just chilled around the house.

I've been trying to finish up some projects at the house...got a little bit more done but not as much as I would of liked. Shawn worked on the side of the house to complete a merit badge...but I came out with the side of the house fixed finally! One more small project done before the graduation party.

This next week will be slammed busy with stuff. Between taking Kayla around for some job applications, getting her nails done, pictures in the band room, scouts and finally ending with Prom on Friday night. I will be so glad when we can get another car so she can drive herself again. It's coming soon...hopefully....before I pull all my hair out...lol!

I DID get one page scrapped this weekend so I was excited about that. And worked on a quilt but I wasn't able to get it finished like I hoped.

Tonight we have scouts and I am heading up a food drive "Scouting for Food" so I will be so busy tonight trying to get all the food collected and counted. But it is sooooo for a good cause and will be worth it in the end.

Have a great Monday!

PS...I am happy to report that Kim's killer (her own husband) surrendered himself to Cancun police and was brought back to Canton so that he can now face the murder charges. Kim was such a fantastic lady and it breaks my heart to know what he done to her and that her boys will not have a mother. We will always miss Kim!

She did it!!

Man am I one proud mother right now!!!

Kayla entered her very first art contest that was held at the school. I so remember doing that when I was her age. I LOVED entering the art shows. It was such a creative high for me. It took me 2 years to ever place in the show....finally winning 1st place with a piece that I was so proud of.

We got there and I looked at all the artwork and was blown away by the talent. Just simply amazing talent!! And then it was awards time...

I was so nervous. As I am sure she was too.
They started with Drawings. Then moved on to paintings. Kayla won Honorable Mention. Which was 4th place. And then they moved to 3-D art and she won Honorable Mention for her pottery! I was just so proud of her and she was so surprised. But I think what amazed her the most was the people coming up to her and telling her how wonderful her artwork was.

I sure hope she goes farther than her mother did. Taking her artwork and using it to her advantage and going far in life. Using her talent to take her places I never got to do or go.

Yep I am a proud mom....(and just wait until you see Shawn's art entry for a different contest...wow!)

Observations

as I was riding home from work today I was hit with several observations....some that have been eating away at me for a very long time and some that just hit me square in the face. We get so busy in our schedules and life that sometimes little observations just pass us by. I'm not sure if I am PMSing....or just sad...or overloaded or who knows what it is. I'm sure some sort of medication would take care of it all...lol.

But to share my observations....

1- Friends. I love friends. and I try to be there for each and every one. Each friend is carried in a special place in my heart. Each one means something special to me. but to be hurt by a friend...and one that you would even go as far as to call your BFF....that....that sucks. I've had a best friend that I could share everything...I mean everything with...for 11 years. That is a long time. All my best friends from high school moved away and we don't really chat anymore. This friend kinda picked up where those left off. It was great. Wonderful. I so enjoyed having someone to share things with...send flowers to when she was down....call at the worst moment just to share something going on....it was something I really enjoyed. Well...that was until she lied to me. Flat out lied too. And then she stopped calling. She stopped coming over. She just stopped. She has since moved and never once picked up the phone to call me or tell me. I kinda feel lost. A part of me is just sitting here wondering why??? why did I even put so much into that relationship.....I guess God only knows right. But it still makes me sad....and most of all...hurt.

2- 10 weeks until school is out. 10 weeks to get my kids to get off thier arse and pass the classes they are failing. 10 weeks of major stress I am sure as I wonder if I will be having a high school graduate and a sophmore. I know I will but this is crunch stress time that I always go thru.

3- the graduate! that is stress all in its self. But good stress. I have a party to plan. Invites to send out. Announcements to send out. My observation about this graduate....I have done all I can do for this child. I have raised her. I have taught her everything I know. Told her what to do and what not to do the best way I can. And now it will be soon the time where I have to let her go. She will be 19 in just a month and a half. I should of let go a while back but I just couldn't. Now it is time. But will I be able to is the question.

4-car observation. My daughter SOOOOO needs a job so she can get her OWN car and I DONT have to be mama taxi anymore.

5-I'm ready to retire. To go away and hide from the world for a while. To build my house on the lake and sit out on the back porch sipping my coffee watching the sun rise in the mornings.

6-I am looking at myself and wondering if I have done everything that I need to do to be the person I want to be in life. I'm 37....is there more for me out there to do? To become? Should I be taking online classes to learn more? If so what? What is it that I need to be doing because I feel undone...I feel as though I am leaving something out and I just don't know what.

Observations to continue.....because now I have to put my taxi hat on

Today in the Gutter

Check out the Gutter today!

Today's prompt is

Junk in my Trunk

song: My humps

Item: car bits and wrappers

Here is my version on the prompt!

Can't wait to see what your version will be!

Today is raining. yuck. Going to go see my mom and dad today. yeah! And I scrapped this morning. Double yeah! And working on a quilt. woohoo.

The weekend is here

Thank you so much weekend...for getting here and quickly!

Friday just simply sucked! The lovely economy is hitting our workplace and I feel I am pretty damn lucky to have a job since some things that happened yesterday. Yep pretty lucky. You would think 15 years somewhere would mean something but I guess it really doesn't anymore. But as my husband told me last night...if I DID lose my job...I would have time to do all my little crafty projects...lol! Such the optimistic person.

anyway....I got my comp copy of the April Scrapbooking & Beyond which has a layout of our puppy this time last year in it! It's titled Cute as a Button!! I'm excited about that. This will be layout #2 in print this year and I really want to get out there and get more in print. That is my goal this year. Guess I need to get off my tush and do some submitting...dontcha think...lol!

I also decided to enter a local photography contest this summer. I need to go thru my pictures and choose which one I want to send. I have never done this before but it should be fun and who knows...right. Kayla entered two pieces of artwork in the school art show next week. I am soooo super excited that I just can't contain it! It sooooo brings back memories of when I was in high school. I used to enter all kinds of art shows and loved it. I am so proud of her and can't wait to see how it goes.

Finishing up a rag quilt today and maybe start sewing another. We are meeting some friends for diner tonight and its raining so I have lots of time to play this evening. Kinda wish I was in the scrappy mood. I think I figured out my decline in scrappy moods...lack of pictures. I don't want to scrap any of the old ones and I don't have new pictures to use. I guess I need to fix that problem.

Here is a layout I did the other day for a challenge at OneSingleSeed. We are having our week long crop...which ends tomorrow. this was for the Spring has Sprung challenge. I love this picture of Sylvester and these papers were fun to play with.

Have a happy weekend.

I survived...

I survived Tuesday and Wednesday! Woohoo!
Turns out we got to keep the car tag and it was already "dead" (as in the towing company had voided the tag) so all that crazy thinking for nothing. But...I guess it is better to be safe than sorry right?

We had freshman advisement last night. Shawn picked out all his classes. His main courses will be Math 2, Honors History, 10th Lit and Enviromental Science. He wanted to take Chemistry but his Math wasn't good enough. Then for electives he is taking Spanish 3 which will be a 1/2 year course only and Weight Training for the whole year. His third choice elective is Graphic Arts (which don't tell anyone...it makes me smile because I wanted to go to college for Graphic Arts). And then he had to choose 2 more electives because they are doing a Hybrid Block scheduling next year and he may need another elective. So he picked Introduction to Law and Justice and Introduction to Automotive. Well rounded career choices..haha! I am not sure what he will do when he gets out of high school but he has some crazy ideas that is for sure.

Still no luck on the job front for Kayla. We so need to get her a job so she can buy a car and I don't have to be a taxi anymore. It's really taking its toll on me. I didn't get home until about 6:30 last night and felt I was rushing all night long.

I have a layout on my table that I need to finish and get posted. I need to finish sewing some quilt blocks. And I really would like to do some more genealogy research. I haven't touched any of that since the end of last year. A few extra hours a day would be marvelous! lol

Or if I could just get a laptop and take it with me camping in a few weeks...I could lounge around the lake and the camper and do lots of stuff! Still trying to figure out how I can take my quilts to work on...lol. I know seriously...I need to learn how to relax and just take some time off from projects...but my poor brain doesn't know what relax means.

Can I crawl under a rock please

I mean seriously. I need a week off. I would even take a day off. From everything. work. Being a mom. just enjoy some time for me.

But nope.....doesn't appear to be an option in this life time. Tomorrow we have 9th grade advisement so I will be at the school for who knows how long, in a crowded auditorium, with hundreds of other kids and parents, trying to figure out what classes my child wants to take next year in the 10th grade. Who decided to inform me that he no longer wants to do the career path that he has wanted to do since he was 10! Great. Now what in the world will he go to college for? He doesn't know...yet. But he does know he wants to take weight training next year. Of COURSE....never mind the education cause we can hook up with LOTS of girls if we are buffed!
sigh

then thursdays are just nuts here since that is the only day Kayla babysits...and I have to pick shawn up at tutoring at 4:30 and get Kayla to Jazzercise to watch a few kids by 4:45 in rush hour traffic. Not a great combination or good for my blood pressure.

I can't even remember at this point what in the world I am suppose to be doing Friday. Saturday Billy wants to take the camper to the camper place and have an awning put on it. Which will mean we have to close up the camper...hook it up...drag it to god knows where...set it down...and come back for the darn thing. And who's idea was it to get a camper?????

And before you know it...it is Sunday again and it all starts over. Can you tell I am fed up with stuff. The only saving grace is Barnes N Noble should have my last book in tomorrow and I can pick it up and relax with my book. But......what shall I do when I am done with it?? sniff sniff....

Got any book suggestions?

Well....guess I better go see if there is something I can sew...supper to make...something to scrap....something to do at least....

Get ready for some fun at...

Challenges and new threads will show up on Monday so join us then for a great time. There will be challenges that run all week with a speed scrap on Friday. There will be a NEW thread to sign up in for a chance to win our March Mega kit!

My Funky Dress

Art class #2. We had a great time today making this dress. I loved Emily's and Kayla's also. Everyone did an awesome job!

Finally Friday

These days I am always wishing for Friday's. Although when you have busy weekends....it still makes for a long week.

The boys are leaving in the morning to go caving with the Scouts. Not really something I am thrilled about. climbing down into a cave and wiggling thru holes and swimming thru water. Just doesn't sound anything BUT dangerous. But it is the Scouts and they like doing the extreme. Billy will be there and my friend Laura is actually going into the cave and promised to take care of Shawn. I am sure he will have a great time. He is excited. Which leaves me and Kayla alone. I am taking her to a painting class Saturday with our friend Emily. Then Saturday night Kayla is spending the night with a friend...so you know what that means right...GASP. I will be home alone...shhhh! I can't say WHEN that last happened. So I may sew a little, scrap a little, play online for a while. Who knows. I wish I had a book to read but I am waiting for it to come to the store...I had to order it.

We are now exactly 13 weeks away from graduation. Yep 13 weeks. We should be getting the invites soon I would think. I still need to plan her party and start making the list of who all will get a picture and announcement. Still so much to do.

13 weeks until school is out again. This year went by very quickly I think. Shawn is still struggling in a few classes but I am hoping he can pull it all out and get them passing. He already has enough credits to pass to the 10th grade but still. I would like him to pass all the classes anyway. Next year he will be in Honors Social Studies and in Spanish 3. Hard to believe. But then he is a smart kid.

well...anyway....off to work we go. Hi ho hi ho

Exciting Tuesday!

Well besides having to deal with back spasms today...and the typical running the kids around...I got and email for two layouts to be in Scrapbooking & Beyond! That is always a wonderful way to brighten up your day. I needed it!

We walked 30 minutes at lunch and I did some arm strengthening stuff today. I'm not losing any weight. Actually gained .8 for this week. Lovely. Going to walk at lunch today too.

Another busy day ahead. I so need to find Kayla a job so she can buy a car and I can stop being a taxi. Sounds good doesn't it...now if it would just happen!

We got good news..Kayla can go to the next stage of her implant. So in April she goes back to her dentist and hopefully will get her tooth! Finally. 3 months before graduation and she will be able to smile so pretty.

Behind Once Again

I get so behind on posting sometimes. Sorry about that.

It was a busy weekend. I went Friday and bought a new computer. Just the tower and some new virus software along with Microsoft Office. I spent Saturday morning trying to take down my old computer/saving data/and plugging up the new one. I know nothing about Vista so I spent way more time that I should have trying to figure my way around. Then I left at 11:30 and went to a painting class. I will post the painting later when I get home. But it was FUN FUN FUN. So much fun that I booked Kayla and I a spot for this next Saturday. Then I came home and played on the computer some more. Family Tree Maker didn't work...had to download a driver update for that. Then my Photoshop Elements didn't work. Can't fix it. I was bummed. My printer was working. YEAH. Then the scanner...a no go. Had to go out Sunday and buy a new Scanner. Still couldn't get Photoshop to work so I downloaded Paint.net and Picasa. But neither one of those stitches layouts together like my photoshop so I am not sure what I am going to do about layouts and getting them posted online.

The I got my Firefox uploaded so I could facebook....and the darn bookmarks want save so now I can't play Hatchlings. So I am REALLY not happy.

but all in all the computer is faster and I do like some of the details it has with it. Still lots to put back such as my favorite sites and some data. I also got an external hard drive and have been trying to put all my genealogy stuff on there.

My cousin came by to start tutoring Shawn. I am crossing my fingers that it helps!

This is another busy week. Kayla has another oral surgeon appointment today. We should find out when he will do the next step to her implant. Stuff at work keeping me busy and the boys are going camping (caving) this weekend.

I did manage to finish another quilt last night. Not as happy with this one. The colors rock...and it ragged perfectly but the batting I used wasn't thick enough. So I will have to buy some more batting before I do the next one. I have the 4th one cut out but oh well...small delay. And I got one more tie blanket done for Delaney's birthday this month. I tried some things differently with this one.

Looks like we will indeed have a booth at Paulding Meadows so I need to get busy making extra stuff and soon!