Snow Days Ending...

 I love snow days...

This photo was actually snapped a couple of days ago, but my yard still looks like this--and it is still COLD...I'm definitely not a winter type of gal! When the weather looks like this outside, I can think of every excuse in the book to stay inside where it is warm and cozy.

Of course, I can't sit still, so-------what's a girl to do? I found plenty of projects to work on while I was home...I'm always dangerous with an available can of paint (because remember, I'm not going out in the cold weather to purchase any!) I've been gradually adding more turquoise colors in my house over the past year, and I decided to use up some of that left over paint.

My sis made this for me quite a few years back out of an old window, and I just love it. I have it hanging above my fireplace...I decided to spruce it up a bit with the new paint color. You can see the navy blue color that was originally on it.

I love the way it looks-it really helps lighten and brighten the mood in the living room.

I've had extra time in the kitchen too, and that makes me happy.

I had a lot of fun making this Indian Flatbread, and it was really 

yummy. It's very versatile. You could use it as bread for your sandwich, use it for Indian Tacos, warm it up to go with your dinner, or if you've already had a full meal and just need a late night snack...

 You could warm it up and add some yummy honey to go with it...

Oh my gosh! It was so delish! I'm sure I'll be baking this 

recipe again in the near future.

Another consumer of my time is scrapping. 

Here's my 2nd page of the new year.

It's an older pic of G and M, but I don't necessarily always scrap in chronological order...and I certainly enjoy having 2 cute photogenic grandsons as my layout subjects.

Tomorrow will be "back to business" as I head back to school. A three day week will make it go by very quickly. We still have so much to accomplish this year before April---I hope my students are ready to buckle down and hit the books! 

...Create Your Dreams Everyday...I Do!

Scrapping, Cooking, & Reading...

I made a commitment to join Ali Edwards in her year long "One Little Word" workshop for 2014. It sounds like a very enlightening/fun project, and so far I'm enjoying the process. You can read more about it here. I chose "prosper" as my word to focus on for the year. The first two pages in my 2014 album are dedicated to the thinking process of what prosper means to me, and where I would like it to lead me. It's all about mindful thinking and being more intentional in your life-lessons I hope to gain from. Here are my first two pages:

 

 

It looks like a lot of writing, but most of the monthly prompts are project oriented. The first month, as you get comfortable with your word, is more about really thinking about what you would like to see evolve for yourself during the process. It involves some soul-searching...I'm incorporating this project with my photo.a.day so they will both be in the same album. I can't wait to see what 2014 has in store for me and my family!

Another thing I have really enjoyed while being on break is reading. I got a Barnes & Noble gift card from my hubby for Christmas, and of course I've already spent it, plus more!! Here's the newest Amy Tan book I'm reading:

...and I also scored two new cookbooks to go with my new Kitchenaide mixer, and I got sale prices on all 3 books, score!

I think I'll have to start taking some of my baked goodies to school to put in the teacher's lounge, or feed them to my students. I so enjoy being in the kitchen baking or mixing up something new, but I certainly don't need all of the calories.
I can happily report I have been headache free for 4 days in a row! That is such a blessing...my husband (and a few close friends) are probably the only ones to really know how they have affected me in the last year--and bless their hearts for putting up with me. I'm getting back my energy and feeling so much better. Yeah for modern medicine!

I'm off to meet Jamie and Joel for dinner. They are in Tulsa for the weekend for a family wedding. They didn't bring the boys, I will miss them dearly, but we can have a real grown-up visit!

Happy Weekend to all!

Happy New Year...

It's been a great day for me. It seems like the first time in forever that I woke up without a migraine, and I haven't had a headache all day, woohoo! I had been having more and more debilitating migraines this past year, and I was absolutely ready to throw in the towel. Thankfully, a new doctor and some new tests found what we figured was probably causing the problem. I have degenerative discs in my neck and spine-and not just kinda-but very much so...My physician thought I might benefit from steroid injections in my neck, not exactly something I wanted to do, but I was willing to try almost anything because the pain has been so great. Migraines and middle school students are not a good mix, so I needed to do something. So, fast forward to yesterday-hubby took me in to have the pain management physician give me the injections. After we got home I started feeling a headache creeping in...I was so disappointed, but thought maybe I was dehydrated since I couldn't drink my usual glass of water when I got up that morning. I decided to take a nap to see if that would help. In a couple of hours I woke up with a horrible migraine, so I had to take meds and lay around the rest of the evening. I didn't even get to enjoy my yearly glass of champagne to celebrate the new year...I did manage to stay up until midnight, though. The doctor told us it could take 2-3 days, or even up to 10 days to see if the injections offered any relief. I've decided I'm going to take today as a great sign-a sign that I will have fewer migraines this year. And, I loved getting to spend  New Year's Day without a headache, able to do some of the things I really enjoy, especially when we are out of school and I have extra time at home.

 

I was so excited to try out my new mixer and pasta cutter that I spent the day in the kitchen baking apple cake and fresh pasta. I'm happy to report that they were both a big success.

 

 

I think I need to invest in a drying rack for my pasta--I didn't have anywhere else to put it!

 

I also got my first layout of the new year completed today...from pictures I took of the ice a couple of weeks ago. It felt so good to have some creative time today. I hope I get to do the same thing tomorrow. I'm thinking it would smell really good to have some fresh bread baking in the oven...

          I want to wish everyone a joyous and happy New Year!

...lately

a few things I have been enjoying this week...

finishing a birthday layout of M's...I made the Happy Birthday title
with my new Cameo Silhouette-it is so much FUN!

making smoothies for the freezer...why do bananas go bad so quickly?

I finished my last chair...I'll post a pic of
everything I did in the dining room soon...

my azalea plant that never ceases to amaze me with so many blooms,
this is the plant that died several years ago and I finally got a small stem to take root, now it will not stop growing-I've started so many new plants off of it, I've lost count...this summer I gave one to mom and one to Jamie-I hope their plants flourish for them like mine has for me...

I started another table top quilt...

and last, but not least-this is a current pic of Marley and her wild hair-
guess who gets to go to the Spa today? I hope everyone has a joyful week...

...layouts lately

...some recent layouts...

...have I mentioned lately how much I enjoy scrappin'...





...and I'm off to scrap some more...

.....creative fun!

Just sharing a few layouts I finished up today. They were all in different stages of completion, just needed final touches! Layout above and below are from Christmas 2008, the year we celebrated in Carrollton, right after Morgan was born. In the picture above, Grayson is "writing" on his new art easel from Neenie. Below is Kelsey enjoying a makeup kit from Sissy Jen.

Close up of above layout.

Below is Morgan's happy smile, these pics were taken this past holiday season.

Morgan again, last summer. He has sure grown a lot since then.

It's a happy day when I get to spend a bit of it on scrappin'.

New Layouts, as promised.....

I love being snowed in for a day or two. It gives me time to play around in my scrap room. I don't worry about anyone coming to the front door unannounced---the weather is too bad for social travel, AND I can stay in my jammies all day! That's exactly what I did on Friday. Here are the new layouts I got done.....

I love the pic above of Kelsey and Caleb. I got an extra one to put in a new frame Jamie & Joel got me for Christmas. It felt so good to be scrappin' all day......Now, if I just had all of my school work caught up, I could do it again today!

.....a favorite pastime

Here are a few layouts I have been working on the last couple of weeks. I haven't had as much time as I would like to have, but I'm not complaining. I've been cleaning out closets and clearing out Caleb's bedroom for a complete makeover!! His room needs a fresh coat of paint desperately, it hasn't been retouched since we moved in over 12 years ago. Since he is living in an apartment in Norman, now seems like a good time. The pics of Grayson (above) were taken while Jen and I were watching the kids for Jamie and Joel last September. He is such a ham.....

This little layout features Mr. Morgan, he always has such a sweet smile.

Here is M. showing off his standing skills. He'll be walking any day now...

On my list to do tonight...
grade papers
fix dinner
finish laundry
call Caleb
pay some bills...

......or maybe I should just scrap some more!!!

.....store closing and new layouts

After selling our scrapbook business in Stillwater 3 years ago, my sister and I have been fortunate enough to still be able to spend some serious scrappin' time with a few of our wonderful girlfriends we met along the way. We've tried to meet up at least once a month for the entire day to scrap, catch up on each other's families, snack (chocolate, of course!) and laugh---a lot! Our day always includes a "delightful lunch hour (or two)", which is accompanied by yummy margaritas. Some days were an extra special treat because my mom would join us, too. Most days we would meet at Scrap Happy's in Tulsa. We had met the sweet owner, Melissa, during our business journey in Stillwater and she was always happy to accommodate us. When we arrived at her store Saturday for our monthly get-together, we were greeted by the window signs above. We were devastated, to say the least! To a serious scrapbooker, story teller, life book maker---this is serious. If you scrapbook, you know what I mean.... They were closed, getting ready for their "Quitting Business Sale", we couldn't even go in!!!! So, we did what any normal woman would do---we went to the mall to shop! Our lunch turned into a much longer "lunch hour" than usual, too. We had to console each other, of course! We'll be figuring out "Plan B" for our monthly meeting, but in the meantime, I sincerely wish Melissa all the best with a smooth closing of her store and her transition into whatever lies ahead of her.

And, since there isn't anything I can think of that would actually interfere or stop me from scrapbooking, here are a few recent layouts....

Morgan's first visit on Santa's lap didn't go so well, but I'm still happy with my layout.

Close up of ribbon tree, one of our "girl's group" challenges to each other.

Morgan's tiny baby feet---much larger than this now, of course!

Grayson "hanging and swinging" from his tree. He was so excited when he was able to grab hold of that branch and actually lift his feet off the ground!

Close up of embellishment...

I had a picture I took in Grayson's nursery when he was born. I thought it would be fun to document the "baby" items that were now found around the house.

This picture is from last Christmas, he really isn't trouble at all, but the

expression on his face matched the frame I had.

Have a happy day, the sun is shining!!!