207 captures

That is the number of photos I downloaded tonight from this weekend. Pictures of the beauty of Spring, pictures of our family time together, pictures of creativity and the friends that remind me how wonderful people can be. Capturing everything around me again, smiles are coming back on my face with every click of the shutter. Smack me if I ever stop capturing again. (that was a note to self, not to anyone that may want to smack me).

So much great stuff this weekend, from my friend kidnapping me for breakfast on Friday morning to everyone laying down and reading on Sunday night. All the stuffing in between is just amazing.

Had some fun at a little gift shop on Friday morning....getting some bakery goodness to make at home. The Coffee cake was so light and fluffy, it just didn't seem like it had all those calories I know were in it.

Friday night I got to have a Sleep over!!! I just loved doing this and hanging with some great ladies, Chinese food and good ole games of pinochle. I am so very blessed in my life to have people like this in it. I love our quiet home most of the time, but every once in a while throw in a couple boys, 3 great ladies

and a couple other parents and it does tend to liven up the house a bit. Oh and if you are wondering.....of course I was on the winning team!!! These ladies came over to play and have some fun , fun we did. Altho, I would have to say that cosmos mixed in a plastic gallon container can look alot like KoolAid to an 8 year old boy!! Luckily he didn't like the taste. I won't mention any names, but Nancy was relieved to know she hadn't drunk all the cosmos!!

Saturday I had a dozen of the best ladies over to crop the day away with, great little creations came out of the day and This one was one of my all time favorite little craft projects.

I collapsed right away after everyone left that night, it was such a great day but I had nothing left. I woke refreshed and ready to go on sunday, because we were going to the CIRCUS!!!! One of my favorite things that we do on an annual basis....just love feeling like a kid for a few hours, watching all the visual goodness and waving to the clowns. Some of my favorite shots of the day,

The boy can wear a hat!
Just two kids having fun!
He put this on just for me :)
Those bouncy wheels looked like so much fun! Everytime I am at the circus all I think about when looking at these people.....HOW FRIGIN FUN!!! I know it is alot of hard work and long hours...but it sure looks like FUN!!!

Hi Camera....it is me again!

You ever realize that you stop doing something you love, and you can't pinpoint it but you know something is not right? Ok maybe I am the only one, but I all of a sudden realized I haven't been shooting the everyday anymore. I LOVE my nikon and I usually have it within 10 feet of my hands, but lately I had it sitting on a shelf, in my studio almost collecting dust!!! I should be slapped up side the head!

I am glad to report.....I realized the errors of my ways and I have once again started picking up my baby and clicking away. I feel so much better, my mornings are happier, my days more complete. I love the laughter and the tears my pictures bring me. I have missed those emotions that I find when I am photo editing, or uploading. I can't wait to see what little hidden treasures I have captured. Those gems, they make me smile and also get me thinking of new layouts I want to do. So here is a little happiness I have shot over the past couple days....with my fav subject of course!

Loving this photo, and the story will be in a layout soon. In short, I told him when he took first place at a tourney he could get that on his shirt. Well he did at Districts, and just our luck they were not doing the printing on shirts that day. So he did it again at Regionals...and he got it!!

Scared secrets you can only tell your dog! Like the Recipes for those baked beans!!

OMG I fall in love more everyday with this little guy!!

I am loving every element of this shot!

What is it about those pictures of the little guy running away or walking that I just love capturing. It just makes me want to stop time and hold him there. But knowing I have to let him run and be free too.

Inspired.....put into words.

WOW, AMAZING, INSPIRING, LIFE CHANGING.....these are just a few words and some might have to be made up to explain the rest of it.

I got back Sunday morning from a journey that was billed as an event about ART, little did I know it would be not only a journey into art techniques and creating but it was also a journey into who I am as an artist, a person, a womyn. Not sure where all this is going to go....but I don't think it will actually have an ending anyway.

First going on this trip was something I did to reward myself for a hell of a couple years of owning a Retail Scrapbook store. Doing for everyone else, providing the place, the product and the time for others to create in. Realizing after 2 years that I had lost a little of the artist in me while taking care of everything else. I wanted to get back what I had lost. So fast forward to April and the event is very near, I got ready , packed and really had a hard time with going, since my son was going to be wrestling one of his biggest events the same time I would be gone. Feeling I was missing something so important and didn't want to. Knowing he would do just fine, and I would too. Technology is a wonderful thing.....it can keep you in touch so well these days, so armed with the new FLIP Video camera, cell phones and a computer on my end....It would almost be like being there...ALMOST!!!

As you can read from the post he did more then fine, he WON and he now has his sights on Eastern Nationals and believe me I will be there..so will Grandma and Aunt Denise! We are all booked and ready to see Josh wrestle his way thru the brackets.

So back to INSPIRED!

Each class was just as inspiring and wonderful as the next. Each class was so different from the next. Each Teacher had their own twist on art, and we were able to learn from each and everyone of them.

Now comes the part for me that I didn't expect. I really thought about this alot the last few days, how i would describe this event to someone that didn't scrapbook or create....(sad I know, but there are some out there). So I really only could come up with one thing that would put it in a nutshell .

SUPER HEROS!!! That is how I felt after walking away from this event....these are my superheros. These are the woman that have not only so much talent that it is breath taking, these are the woman that will even share it with us...will allow us to be who we are and teach and inspire us to be the artist we are. They are the ones that we look to , that give us courage that ART is going to be ok.....that CREATING is going to be safe. That they will protect our hopes and dreams that this will not die. It is not just a trend to be an Artist!! That there are so many different ones of us, that this is so diverse....no one can destroy it.

Corny, weird, a little out there....yeah perhaps...but I would rather be out there then in a neat little box without my color pencils!

So much more about this event...and I don't think one post will ever capture it all....so as I finish my projects that I started creating I will post them and tell you more about the class and the teacher and how and why I loved each project.

For now I must get back to "real life" Lots of orders to fill for the Corner Store lots of stuff to order to fill up the shelves. All day crop at my house this Saturday , can't wait to see the girls! Also got my 8 new Crop n Style Cubes today, so time to get things organized and get in my studio and create more!!

Inspired......

Stay tuned....coming today, I finally think I can put this into words. I am going to try anyway.

1st period 2nd match

From Crackle: Apr 12 2008 - VID00007

Pin # 2 at Regionals

This is the 2nd period.

From Crackle: Apr 12 2008 - VID00008

1st Pin Regionals

From Crackle: Apr 12 2008 - VID00002

Josh the CHAMPION!!!

Josh won MAWA Regionals today!!! He is #1 Seed going into Eastern Nationals!!
I can't even express how proud I am of him today...can't wait to get home and hug him and tell him in person!!!

From Crackle: Apr 12 2008 - VID00010

Having some fun with PhotoShop!

I have had fun playing with photo shop lately and these pictures from the last weekend were my first attempts at doing some Cartooning. I think I may use them in a layout!


This one is one of my favorites so far! I love how it came out.
Off to Lewistown this weekend. Should be a great little tourney, the Eastern National Champ from last year will be in Josh's bracket. I am looking forward to see how Josh does against him if they get to wrestle. It is all about mat time and having fun. Looking forward to spending some more time with the Rush's too. They have become great friends and we are blessed to have them in our life.

Opening day!

Well yesterday was opening day for The Corner Store and it was a SUCCESS!!! I have to tell you the people that wished me good wishes and clinked their glasses with me made me feel like a success before I even opened the doors. I still remember opening the doors of the retail store almost 3 years ago, and while I didn't get to see all the smiling faces, they were still there through email and their orders as they came into my inbox. I was surprised and humbled by all the familiar faces. Thanks to everyone that is supporting me on this adventure. You restore my faith in people a little every day!
I also received a couple tokens to remind me of the day. Michelle came over to deliver this very wonderful Lucky Bamboo. Michelle is that person who has come in my life very quietly and I am discovering that she is one very special person that I am blessed to have around. I hope to get to know her better as time goes on. Besides the fact she makes great Jello Jigglers!

Then my Best Friend, my Rock, the one person in my life I never have to doubt about being there for me, Kate got me a wonderful plant
She wanted to get me something Long lasting, durable and hearty.....all the hopes she has for my new venture. I am so blessed to have her in my life. All the times I doubted if I was doing the right thing....she was the one with the words that would get thru to me. Thank you Baby, you are my rock.

So today, filling orders , stocking the shelves and doing some scrapbooking. I love coming to the office which is only steps away from bed, and being able to do what I love to do. My stress levels have been very low and my hopes and dreams still very much alive. Thanks to great friends and my family for seeing me through the last year. Your words were heard and I now know what you were saying. I am me.

Wrestling and Mother's Day!

Wow what a weekend! Josh and I headed out to Erie for the Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling State Championships. We went out as spectators and to support the kids we know from our club that qualified! It was also a trip for Josh and I to check out the whole thing, because next year Josh will start trying to qualify for this. They take the top 2 wrestlers from 11 different areas every year. The caliber of wrestling at this level is amazing to watch. We had two kids come back with medals this year and all our other wrestlers did a great job also. We came home with a 3rd place and a 5th place. I was so proud of all our wrestlers and it is so great to see how hard they work and how much they want to be champions. I can only imagine where this is going to take them in life.

This week is a busy one. Kate finally got her walking cast today!!! YIPPEE!!!!

And today is Mom's Day!!! Don't go check your calendar it isn't may yet. But here it is Mother's day. Kate Adopted Josh 4 years ago today on March 31st. Every year we celebrate this as her Mom's day. Josh and I are taking her out to dinner tonight to celebrate. I love the little book I made her for that day, and always cherish that she gets to be his parent legally, even if the laws are down right stupid and ignorant. But that is for another day. It is better then the day he was born and she wasn't allowed to be his parent in the eyes of the law. Progress is all we can hope for! I have high hopes for the generation we are raising right now, a kinder, gentle and more loving generation.

Beat it out!!

Yep those are my new friends! Still in the box till I get back on Sunday, but look out next week. I am going to box these pounds off! Josh is excited too, he wants to box with me. I can see afternoon sessions of the ipod blasting and us circling the big red bag. I didn't lose this week but didn't gain either, so for my first month I lost 4 lbs, and my goal was 3! Yeah me.

Josh and I are leaving on our little trip today after school. I am looking forward to spending time with Josh and watching some good wrestling. We are going to Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling State Championships. We know about 7 kids that have made it and we are going out to support them. We are also going because starting next year Josh will try and qualify for this. He wants to be a champion, and will have 3 years to qualify for 10 and under division.

The Store will be opening up on Tuesday April 1st Officially. I am very excited about this. I did a soft opening this week for the girls on the message board, and it is going wonderful. The orders are getting ready to ship! This is a big dream and I am very proud of myself for taking the chance and doing it. It is always scary to take a chance on yourself, but I know I can do this and I am so happy to be doing this for myself. I want to thank everyone for the encouragement and support you have given me. I also want to thank Ruby for helping me stock the shelves in the store. We have over 500 items in the store now and lots more to go! So make the bookmark in your favorites and come shop with us soon.

2 more weeks till Inspired!! I have to get ready for this, but I am excited to get to see Cathy Z again and Ali too!! It is going to be fun to be students with them. BFFs Steph and Kim will be my roomies for the weekend too, just some fun girls to hang with!

So off to pack and get ready for the 6 hour ride to Erie....can't wait to see what I get pictures of this weekend, will share on Monday.

Back from the War!

Our 2nd annual trip to "War at the Shore" was another great time. We are already planning our trip for next year. Easter is in Mid April next year...maybe it will be a little warmer!
This is where we spent many hours this weekend. 15 mats, almost 1500 wrestlers. Josh had 20 kids in his bracket and he wrestled hard. He won his first match 6-2 and then his 2nd match he met up with the NJ state champ. He lost that match 4-0 but his 3rd period wrestling was very impressive. I would of liked to see what would have happened if he had 15 more seconds. That was a tough loss, but we were ready to wrestle on Saturday. Josh lost his Saturday match 2-0 and again it is always tough to lose, but we know we have to work hard at practice and get better, because as Josh said...he will be back next year!

What I love about this trip is the families we go with and it is always great to get to socialize with them, have the boys all have fun and of course our Easter egg hunt! It really is great to see the boys having so much fun, and it doesn't really matter who lost , who won or anything, they are all just kids and having fun!

Kordell giving Josh a piggyback ride!
The pile on begins!
How many wrestlers does it take to get Ben!
Our Gang!
The Hunt!

This is our wonderful gang of kids. We have 6 families that hang out together. I am so blessed to have such a great group of parents and kids in my life. Josh is so lucky to have these boys to grow up with. This is what it is all about, these times with families we love.

So today is Easter and I have been informed that Josh knows there is no Easter bunny and he knows that I am the "bunny". At first I was like ....bummed! But then when I realized he really didn't care who was hiding the eggs.....just as long as they were hidden, I realized, he was still going to be a kid....we don't have to panic just because they find out about the little white lies we tell them about fantasy holiday characters. I like how I got thru this all by myself .

Where is the Egg?
Easter 08
The Prize.....Football Cards!

Caveman Drawings found!

I have been doing a bit of volunteering at the school lately, and I happened to go by this in the hallway the other day. I just love it. The wall is very cool and the drawings were very fun. Josh did a great job on his, I love the leopards. Not sure what everything else is, but can't wait till he brings it home and tells me about it.

Here is the little caveman! He had a pajama day at school last week. Of course he sported his new sponge bob square pants pjs! He is getting so tall, I am thinking we will be seeing eye to eye before he reaches double digits! He is so damn cute....I just love him so much!

Here is a new snack I have been having, I love the crunchiness of the triscuts, the sweetness of the apples and or course there is nothing complete without some cheese, I love this garlic and herb spread. This whole plate, 10 pts on WW, but I actually only eat half of it and I am full. so 5 pts and it is a meal! I just finished my 2nd week of WW and I have left 4 lbs behind me. I love the plan and it is making me more aware of what I am eating. I look at the Calories, the Fat and the Fiber of everything now, and not that I don't eat things that I probably shouldn't , but I eat them less often. I balance it now with good and healthy choices, and it is great to be making the right choices.

The new store is going great, I put some great things in last night and this morning. Almost 500 items now. I am about 1/2 way to my goal of items before I open the door, and right on schedule.

Have a great Wednesday, a little rainy here .....great time to go and scrapbook!

How proud can you be?

It is a question that I keep asking myself, and just when I think I can't be any more proud of Josh, he proves me wrong. I have this amazing boy that I believe will never stop amazing me. Yes I know he is only 8 years old, and yes I know that it is just wrestling, but it goes so much beyond that. Wrestling is just what he is doing, but "what he is doing" goes far beyond the mat.
We have been talking about practicing, and how important it is to achieve your goals. We have been taking it beyond that and applying it to life lessons. Work hard, discipline, and having goals. This is what we talk about.
Saturday Josh showed that he listens and he understands what it means. He took the #1 seed in MAWA Districts. He won his matches 6-0, 4-0 and the championship 4-0 . Winning the championship against a boy that had beat him in a tourney 2 weeks ago. No one scored on him all day. I have never seen him wrestle better. He had a goal to get a 1st place and he told me that was what he wanted to do that day. Proud, doesn't even describe what I was feeling.

Spring .....Come on!!!

Packing for the weekend, War at the Shore here we come!!!
Found that clock that didn't spring ahead! Always forget one!!

Not much else going on, well except I have been working on my new Online store! Yes it is coming true. I have had over 800 hits already, and it isn't open yet. You can bookmark it here . I love seeing what web pages people are coming from. Some of them a little shocking. So glad people are excited and can't wait to shop. Just loaded the new Crate Paper last night and oh this is just so beautiful......I still remember getting the postcard from this company a couple years ago and couldn't wait to go to CHA and see it in person. This is still one of my favorite lines. So if you get a chance check out the store. Shopping should be up and running within a couple weeks.

little of this .....little of that....

Today is the first day since the surgery Kate went to work. So it is kind of quiet here at the house. I miss her, even tho she was a little high maintenance! The dogs are back to their routine of sleeping , barking and whining to go out. Josh is in school, hopefully having a great day learning and playing. ( not at the same time tho!)

I have been busy adding items to the new online store, trying to get at least 50 a day uploaded and stay on schedule for opening the doors, or gateway this month. I have had so much great support and people telling me they can't wait till I get it up and running so they can order and see everything I have for them. So the Corner Store is getting ready for all of you excited customers.

Took a couple hours of a break today and did some creating. I am finding balance in my day, even if things don't go according to my list of things that are to happen that day. I am learning to move on and do other things. So today I decided it was time to create something. Had a layout in mind, printed pictures, and also more pictures for about 3 more layouts, and had fun! The results.....

This came out better then the original vision, so that made me happy. Love the colors and all the fun felt. Crackle paint is also some fun stuff to play with.

So now it is time to get back to work and Josh will be home in an hour. Then it is snacks, reading and dinner. No practice tonight so some cuddle time is on the agenda too! Kinda boring today, but boring is good.

Today is my lucky day!

Because I get to celebrate my wonderful friend Trish's Birthday!!! She is an amazing person with a big big heart!! I met Trish about 5 years ago now and I am so glad she is in my life. She is always there with a funny story, and she has this wonderful thought everyday that the world can be a perfect place.....and even if it is only 6 am when she realizes today will not be that day, she keeps the hope that it still will happen! I keep trying to bring her to reality , but she refuses to come to the dark side.
She is also very intelligent. She can work words on paper like a wizard waves his wand. Her stories of everyday life will make you laugh and cry, sometimes at the same time! She sees people for what they are, and she sees the good in them, unless there isn't any. Even then she will give them all the chances in the world to be the good person. She is patient.
She loves her kids, she only wants to see them happy and productive. She is learning to let go and let them, and she is so excited that it is starting to work too! We have had many conversations, discussing life, people and Popsicle sticks! If I need to blow off steam, or just have someone listen to me and support me, She is the person I would call. Trish was one person I leaned on quite a bit in the last 6 months, and she was always there saying " It is going to be fine" , or " you are making the right decisions" , or " We can make it bigger and better" ....all those things you need to hear when you are doubting yourself. So today is Trish's Birthday and I am so lucky that I get to celebrate another year of her birthday!

The Pictures above are a wonderful present that Trish made for me celebrating my blog of 2007. She took all those pictures off my blog, printed them and arranged them in this old drawer. It is a precious gift, and I will cherish it always. Just another way she blows me away!!!

So Enjoy your day Trish! Oh and how bout that GREAT Gift that Tom got you and thought up all by himself *wink* !!! Love ya Girl!!!

Josh tells me 15 more days.....

Till Spring!!!

Also another conversation,

J: Mom do you know what they say about March ?

M: It comes in like a Lion?

J: And goes out like a lamb!

M: Why do they say that?

J: Because we are in Winter when it starts, and Winter is like a Lion, it is bad and roars and growls.( complete with sound effects) , and at the end we are in Spring, and Spring is like a little lamb, which is gentle , cute and good.

M: Wow that is so cool you know all that!

So in honor of Spring coming I went to Pier I today and splurged on this little #, it is really cute and I am loving it in the house....even if it is dreary outside it makes me smile :)


Now back to my other source of sunshine.....

He loves learning. Last year when he started first grade he was put in the Jump Start Reading program, which was kids that needed a little help to get up to the minimum reading level of first grade. Then this year in 2nd grade, he is in the top reading group, the advanced group of his class with only 3 other children out of 25. He just keeps striving till he conquers things!! He is reading at least an hour a day after school, and if time permits again in the morning!

Today was crazy Hat day to celebrate Dr. Seuss week at school. The kids have earned a pj party at school tomorrow, Josh is very excited. He put in over 15 hours of reading in the past 3 weeks to help his school earn this. I even got him some new pj's to celebrate!

Kate is recouping....alot of pain with this surgery, but I have her on a strict pain killer diet!

Words, to live them and not just say them.

I am not a professional writer...or as I call them storytellers. I am just a woman with thoughts that pour out here on this blog. My one little space I come to uninterrupted, to put my thoughts somewhere other then swimming around in my head. It has been a great thing for me to do for over 2 years now. I am still very happy I have done this and will continue to do it.

While talking to a friend today, who recently shut down her blog....I totally understood her reasons, which I then sat there after our conversation and knew I could have the same reasons to shut down my blog too. Without a long drawn out explanation.....there are some pretty cruel people out there, and they sometimes don't think anything about leaving nasty comments on a blog. Negativity that is just not needed in this world. But then I realized again why I blog....it actually brought it all back into perspective for me. I blog for me. End of sentence. It is something I stated in one of my first ever post. That this was for me, my one selfish act. Well I might be a bit selfish with my cadbury mini eggs too!

Then I found the vinyl letters I wanted with the saying in the picture. A quote I have always loved. I have to say though, words that have become so much more true and important in recent times then before.

Moments happen so fast. They are something you just can't get back. I had to laugh at Josh today as I was rubbing these letters on the wall, and we were talking. All of a sudden he said, "So Mom, we are having a moment to remember right now, aren't we" He hit the nail on the head, right then I felt the light bulb go off.

What is great is you can remember the moments you want to remember. Ones you don't want to ever forget you try and scrapbook about, or at least I do. There are moments you really want to forget, days even. That is ok too. But don't forget the moments, the everyday moments, the life changing moments, the moments that will be remembered even when you are gone. Remember those moments.

Moments like this one. Actually it was a whole day, but it is the moments of the day that I remember. Josh took 3rd place at the Northwestern Tourney this past weekend. Moments of the weekend.

-Josh fought and wrestled harder then I have ever seen him do , while losing the match 5-4 (his first match of the day), he never gave up and I was never so proud of him.

-Convincing Josh to wrestle hard to wrestle for 3rd place, when all he wanted was 1st place. Telling him that 3rd place was his new first, since he could no longer go for first.

- Watching Josh wrestle his heart out in the next 4 matches, winning every one of them to capture 3rd place.

-Josh getting his trophy and asking me to take his picture with it. Knowing then that he was proud of what he had done.

-Being told by 3 different people they saw a t-shirt for me that said " the only thing tougher then a wrestler , is a wrestler's Mom ! Then on the back of the shirt "Psycho Mom" (If you have ever seen me while Josh is wrestling, you would have no doubt why they wanted to get me that t-shirt) Let's just say I get a little intense.

Equally I will remember the moment today talking to Josh's teacher to find out that Josh is in the highest reading group in 2nd grade. I can't tell you the beam that was coming from me. Josh was in the jump start program, (the lowest) reading group just one year earlier. He just keeps amazing me. Besides the fact he has just been an amazing the past few days, almost angelic like....but shhhhhhhh we don't want to jinx it!

So moments, remember them, document them, don't let them just become days!