Finished. I am finished with the LOAD challenge.

What did I learn? I leanred that I really like black titles on pages and I can never have too many chipboard letters. I learned that I create with what I can see. I do not look through drawers and shelves or containers when I scrap, I will not use it if i cannot see it. I've learned I need a cold drink while I scrap, but no food. I prefer to scrap to music, not TV. I like black ink, okay, I love black ink. I like one photo on the page, I am a true simple scrapper. I prefer clean lines and photos that stay the focus. I journal and while it's chickenscratch I like my handwriting on the layouts. I learned that I can set the bar really high for myself and succeed, I only did one digital layout for the challenge. I learned that I have 20 billion photos of Roe smiling, kids eating milkshakes at specialty resturaunts and dozens of self portaits I took in bed.

So there ya go. Now, lets hope I give you all a nice long break from my overblogging. Thanks for putting up with me.

HairWars

As many of you know we have ongoing hair wars with Parker. The current style is shaggy and long and it makes me just cringe.

I was going to grow up and be such a cool parent, such a liberal parent, such an embracer of self expression parent.

I was so full of crap.

After a nice talk that started out as a "be thou an example" and ended as an "I can alwayys give you a buzz cut," we settled on something in between. Sure, he's not really speaking to me, but I wasn't kidding abut the buzz cut.

I'm not perfect

I know, bug fat freaking shocker there. My goal for the LOAD challenge was to do all paper layouts, yesterday just got too busy to hit the scrapcave, so I pulled together a quick digi page right before the deadline and turned it in. I still have managed to scrap about 60 paper layouts this month and today is the last day. I think I set my goals really high this time and I got burned out, but as long as I don't flake out tonight, I completed the challenge.

What I am most happy with is that I got all of my scrap crap moved downstairs into a functioning, albeit dark and dreary- dedicated crafting space and I no longer am leaving half finished projects around the kitchen and my bedroom.

The kitchen had a surprising new turn in the remodel, we not have a lovely black Bosch dishwasher in place of the old white one. The old one has been threatening suicide for a good year and we have done what we could to keep it alive. We've pulled out candy wrappers, countless pennies and pen lids from her insides but she finally just quit working completely.

Eh- good riddance to bad appliances.

The new one is beautiful, sleek and quiet and holy crap if the dishes don't come out clean. Go figure. It has a strainer at the bottom so that when my children load cups with straws still in them to wash, it won't clog up the plumbing.

we have also purchased brushed nickel hardware for the cabinets and drawers to help discourage sticky fingerprints. Now we just need to finish up the painting we started--2 years ago and that's all we're going to do for awhile.

Today is Stake Conference and we never go, but I've been asked to give the invocation, so we'll be there. Tricksy Stake President....trickses the Precious into going to Stake Conference.......

Yo

We're done enough with the kitchen re-do to post some pictures. Pardon my dirty dishes, but...um....I had dirty dishes. Before and After.....

My layout is just a simple one, I bought all the papers to co-ordinate and then put them together and I'm feeling a little too Garanimals matchy matchy about it. Eh, the kid is sure cute.

Today hasn't been the greatest day, I probably need to do a blog FYI about it, but some things are still sinking in, the reality of how long the next journey that lies before us hasn't really sunk in.

Day 28 Layout and a Boat

For this layout I pulled out my paints and went to town on the pink cardstock. Almost done with this challenge....almost done.
On another note.....This weekend we went as a family to Chili's after we took the kids to see Wolverine and the waiter was new, not only to Chili's but this country. He struggled to understand out very complicated order of 4 plain cheeseburgers, kid's chicken strips and a fajita.

After clarifying about those complicated cheeseburger orders, he came back and asked Matt if he'd like rice and beans as a side dish and if he'd like a "boat" with his order.
Matt: "A boat?"
Waiter "A boat."
Matt "Both rice and beans?"
Waiter "No, a boat."
Matt "A boat?"
Waiter " A boat. You know....a BOAT."
Matt "Okay---what's a boat?"
Waiter "you know like lettuce with sour cream."
Matt "um, yeah, okay I'll have that-- what is it again?"
Waiter "A boat."

AAAAlllllrighty then. A boat. Anyone have a clue what the heck he was talking about?

day 27

I'm almost done with this challenge. I've enjoyed and appreciated the taking "me" time every day and I have enjoyed getting so much done and creating mostly designs that I am really happy with.

I have found it difficult to get in the creating mindset on busy or stressful days. I have also found it difficult to feel like each layout is inspired as I can only scrap so many Lagoon pictures or layouts about Romy holding up a flower or a toy.

Nobod slept well last night, I'm having a hard time keeping my eyes open today.

May 26

I.

am.

so.

burned.

out.

on.

this.

project.

------------------
Today has been a roller coaster of a day.
I do not always fit.

May 25 LOAD Layout

Title is fromt he Lyrics of the 10,000 Maniacs song "The Big Parade"

Detroit to D.C. night train, Capitol, parts East.

Lone young man takes a seat.

And by the rhythm of the rails, reading all his mother's mail from a city boy in a jungle town postmarked Saigon.

He'll go live his mother's dream, join the slowest parade he'll ever see.

Her weight of sorrows carried long and carried far.

"Take these, Tommy, to The Wall."

Metro line to the Mall site with a tour of Japanese.

He's wandering and lost until a vet in worn fatigues takes him down to where they belong.

Near a soldier, an ex-Marine with a tattooed dagger and eagle trembling, he bites his lip beside a widow breaking down.

She takes her Purple Heart, makes a fist, strikes The Wall.

All come to live a dream, to join the slowest parade they'll ever see.

Their weight of sorrows carried long and carried far, taken to The Wall.

It's 40 paces to the year that he was slain.

His hand's slipping down The Wall for it's slick with rain.

How would life have ever been the same if this wall had carved in it one less name?

But for Chr**t's sake, he's been dead over 20 years.

He leaves the letters asking,

"Who caused my mother's tears, was it Washington or the Viet Cong?"

Slow deliberate steps are involved.

He takes them away from the black granite wall toward the other monuments so white and clean.

O, Potomac, what you've seen.

Abraham had his war too, but an honest war.

Or so it's taught in school.

day 24 LOAD layout

I'm getting burned out on this.

Big time.

In the paper

When we learned that they did an article that mentioned everyone in the Ogden paper, Matt and I drove up to pick up a few...okay 10 copies of the Ogden Standard Examiner. There was Romy, big as day on the front page of the local section, as well as the article that included the things Grandma said about Uncle Niel. As I type Roe is on the phone calling everyone she can think of to tell them about being in the paper and about The Wall.

So sleepy today, but I need to go do my layout and get another coat of paint on the kitchen cupboards so we can finish this project and move on tho other ones.

Uncle Niel

I didn't know Niel, Matt didn't know Niel, not here on Earth at least. Maybe we were all there in Heaven when he left this Earth, leaving his mother and his brother and sisters lost without him.

I'd like to think we were all there, welcoming him back to his Father in Heaven and asking him what Earth life was like and he told us all wonderful stories of how things were in rural Utah. Not stories of how things were just before he left.

Niel Riggs is my Mother in Law's brother, Matt's uncle. He was a medic in Vietnam and 8 weeks after leaving, he was killed. I have listened with tears streaming down my face to the stories that were learned shortly after he died, and those that have come to surface as mom finds men who knew him and served with him on the net. Niel was responsible for saving many lives, not just as a medic, but as a fellow soldier. He stood tall in the harshest conditions and fought for those who were too tired, to weak and whose feet were too far gone with jungle rot to speak for themselves. Those who served with him, remember Niel vividly.

They remember,

Today, we remembered again not just the life of a beloved son and adored brother, but the lives of all of those who died in Vietnam. The traveling wall was in Ogden for Memorial day weekend and we drove up to meet Mom and Dad (who is, himself, a Vietnam Veteran) and watched the color guard, listened to the memories of some of the vets, and bawled our eyes out while they played Amazing Grace on the bagpipes.

Every so often you'd hear the clang of the little train shuttle that takes people around the grounds of the cemetery. For me, that clang reminded me so certainly of the well known John Donne poem....Each man's death diminishes me, For I am involved in mankind. Therefore, send not to know For whom the bell tolls, It tolls for thee.

I am sorry that the bell clanged for Niel. He is missed, he is remembered, he is still loved.

We will see you again, Niel.

We will see you again.

LOAD Day 23

Today's prompt was to take extra time and think about your layout and I think I over-thought this one. I love my pictue, though the quality is terrible, I should have photoshopped it to make Grandpa and Roe stand out more- but other than the cute picture, I don't like the design and the overall look of the layout.
I am not a thinker when it comes to creating, I typically turn the radio on loud, set myself in the middle of a chaotic workspace and draw from my surroundings, be it the supplies I have within reach or the mood the music is putting me in.
I suppose it's good to know those kinds of things about yourself so that the next time I want to do something creative in a large or public forum, I know what I need to do my best work and what environments to avoid.

It is a cute picture of Romy and her grandpa though. :) She sure loves both of her grandpas a ton.

Day 22

The challenge today was to use the alphabet in our design, this layout is simple but I really like it.

I never had any marbles to begin with

I'm sorry but Dylan is just about the cutest little guy ever. He and Aunt Sunnie came over to visit, Dylan loved Wrigley and would get up close and reach out, but then he'd be too chicken to pet him. I gave him a push pop and he made a huge mess of his face, which drove him mom nuts, but he was one happy kid.

I spent most of the day at urgent care with Greyson. I may have to put one of those dog collars on the boy that zap him every time he acts up, I am at my wit's end with his issues at school. Arm in his shirt...ZAP! Curling in a ball under the table...ZAP! Licking his chapped lips until they take up half of his face....ZAP!

Oh look! My layout! Neat-o!

May 20 Load Layout

Done early today.

The weather outside is warm with some nice summer showers, I love it. we should be done with the kitchen remodel by the end of the weekend, I'll post before and after pics when it's done, but so far I am totally grooving on the choices we made.

My medication levels are still giving me trouble, so I am having to go to more doctor visits than I would prefer, it's all better than the pain from that clot but--bleah. Between this and my other medication I'm gaining weight at a rate that one would think I intend to be hibernating soon.

May 19 LOAD layout

Z and her Belly O' Sunshine.

$5,000 later......

Look who finally got his braces off.............

Now, if we could only get him to pull his pants up and cut his hair...

May 18

Only one more Monday of school- woot woot! Sure there are still 3 weeks, but today is done (almost) and next Monday is a holiday. That's a sign of hope, right? Something to be happy about, that's for sure.

My friend Tina found this picture from a million years ago and posted it on her blog, so I'm swiping it and doing the same. Wow, we were all young. I'm back in contact with all of the girls in the picture thanks to facebook and such, but none of the boys. The boy in the cowboy hat was my first 'real" boyfriend and even though we weren't a couple at the time, we went on our first dates with one another. Between the two of us, the ozone lost a few extra layers because of all the hairspray we both used. His hair was as crispy as mine was.

We sure had fun, didn't we, Tina? I miss you and am thankful we have reconnected.

I printed up a few pictures from this weekend to give my creativity a spark and I'm really happy with both of my designs from today.

The other side of the Mountain

Everyone in our family lives on the "other side of the mountain." My sister Lindsey lives up here near us, but the whole rest of the crowd, both Matt's family and mine live south of the Point of the Mountain and while it's only 45 minutes away, everyone who lives near Salt lake knows if you're crossing the point of the mountain, get all of your "to do's" done at once as apparently driving over the point is the modern day equivalent of crossing the plains in a handcart.

Today was Z's baby shower and I made her this horrible cake, I copied the design from a few I saw at http://www.cakewrecks.blogspot.com/.

Grandma Harris said it was adorable.

It was freaky scary but it cracked our family up. Z was finally able to open the baby book I made for her, I'll post pics later, as this post is already picture heavy. She looks like she is ready to have that baby- that last month is so tough, but she looked great and seemed to be hanging in there with little Rocco.

It was good to see everyone and hang out with all of the girls.

Abbie was precious and not in that Gollum way- she wanted to play with everything Z unwrapped and she used the bowl I made as a hat for everyone. She has the sweetest little voice and such a beautiful little smile.

Afterwards we swung by my Mom's house to drop off her Mother's Day gifts and visit. She had some freaky weird lady there that had a sore throat and scared the heck out of us all. I love you mom, but your friend was way weird. She was...how did Glinda say it...Unusually and exceedingly peculiar and altogether quite impossible to describe.

I did manage to get what may be my fave picture of my mom ever right before we were leaving.

I came home and was inspired to do a layout featuring my Mom and I. I'm happy with it, as well as the one I did of Sunnie's boy, Dylan the rockstar.

And finally, we took a pic of all the kids togetherand it wasn't until now that I realize how disturbing it is to have your kids all make silly faces while Jesus looks on. Ooops. I don't know which commandment that breaks, but I'm sure I just used up one of my "get out of purgatory free" cards with this picture.

I swear I didn't realize it until it was too late.

As for my decision to post it-- I have no excuse.

Day 15 & such

Conversation with Romy this week: "Mom, is Parker going to go on a mission?"

"I hope so. I hope all of you go on missions."

"Well, how long would I have to be gone?"

"Oh about a year and a half. You'd go somewhere far away and teach people about the gospel."

"Um.......I don't think I can go."

"Why not?"

"Because that's just too long to go without toilet paper. I'd have to fill my whole suitcase with toilet paper and I wouldn't have any room for my clothes."

"They have toilet paper wherever they'd send you, you weirdo."

"Sometimes there are places where they don't have any toilet paper. I don't want to be stuck. Yeah, I don't think I can go. Actually..... if you will mail me toilet paper, then I will go, ok?"

"Okay, Romy."

I know she gets that from me, but it's still bizarre.

Now on to today's layout................

May 14

May 13

I took the 3 younger kids to the park while waiting for Parker to finish Driver's Ed - Grey and Roe wanted me to get a picture of them mid-air and I got Romy on the first try, it too about 15 shots to get Greyson. :)

Today's layout challenge was to do a layout of a friend and I did one about my friend Tamara. We seem to always meet up when I'm skinny, which makes for nice pictures. She's someone I met through Scrapchat, a group that use to yak it up at the old Parent Soup Boards from back when AOL didn't suck nearly as bad as it does now. She shared my love of Funyons and all things coconut- especially the (Word of Wisdom approved) coconut frappuchinos they use to serve at Starbuck's. When Grey met her, he fell in love with and at the ripe old age of three he told her "I like you, you don't stink." She once helped me completely defile some gaudy cub scout embellishments I inhereted from a stupid swap and she has always been there for me in my darkest hours. She's someone I am sincerely proud to call my friend and it does help that she doesn't stink.

Day 12

Just a quick layout today. I'm still feelin weird.

May 11

The prompt was to do a layout of something you are thankful for. Sorry about the flash on the photo.

I'm running out of steam and my creativity has hit a wall. I did two layouts, but am only posting one because I did it with every PMS hormone in the driver's seat and it's an emotional wreck of a page. There are things in myself I don't understand, parts of me I never knew could be part of me, things I don't like and things I wish I knew how to change. Some roads in my life were a lot shorter than I expected them to be, and some are so so long. I don't have answers, just more questions.

Leg update

I went to the doctor this morning and my medication levels were way low. I'd been holding pretty steady and responding really well to the medicine from the beginning, so it was kind of weird to have my levels drop like that, but I feel just fine. I had some leg pain the other night and elevated my leg overnight, but it went away. Doc said if I feel that again i need to go in for another ultrasound and my nedication amounts have been changed and I have to see her more often until they level out at a good number after my INR.

Not fun, but better than the alternative.

We did our traditional Non-Mother's day Mother's day yesterday and hid from all things Mother's day-ish. I was given a stack of cards from the kids, my gifts were that trip to the theater, a gelaskins for my laptop, a new Belmont Tshirt from toghaus and the soundtracks to Miss Saigon and to Wicked.

Thanks, Matt for being such a good husband and thanks to my kids for this adventure. You keep me humble,lol.

May 10

We had a busy day today and I am poofed.

The layout challenge was to use flowers and Roe's kind of going through this tomboy/hellcat phase right now so I had to use the same picture from a layout I did the other day. When I was done I realized I used the same colors and even some of the exact same papers on my layout, but I'm happy with it. Not feeling the creativity very much today, hopefully it will be back tomorrow.

Days like today make me wish summer would hurry up and get here!

May 9

Today we had plans to go to lagoon, but when we got there the park was packed. Since we have season passes there is no reason on earth for us to go on the busiest day of the year so far. We'll try again later. We dropped Parker off there (he was meeting friends) and instead hit the Training Table for lunch and saw a movie. We all couldn't wait for this one, so we hit Star Trek. LOVED IT. Sorry Kristine and Chris, I'm not trekkie enough to know what the bad part was I loved every minute of it. I can't wait for the next one, it was my kind of movie, enough sci fi to keep my nerdiness happy and enough action and adventure to keep me on the edge of my seat. I'll take that over a million Reese Witherspoon remake of a Jane Austen novel any day.

Today's layout was a quick one I threw together in about 15 minutes, lots to do and I'm in my groove so I have been happy with pretty much every layout I have done this month with the exception of that one I did of Zane last week. I love my boy but I wasn't feeling it with the design there. This little girl is my sister Lisa's daughter, Rori. Love her to bits.

May 8

Another "meme" layout but the prompt today was to do a layout that told who we are and showed one's personality. I think my "pardon my french" layout already revealed a teensy bit too much about me. I don't actually swear that much, you know.

I promise I am running out of cheesy self portraits taken from my bed.

I'm reading a new book, "Creepers" by David Morrell, and oooh..... it's hard to put down.

I have to admit defeat on the whole series of Jim Butcher novels we bought, but Matt is still loving them. Sorry Harry Dresden, I'm just not that into you.