The Flame in My Heart

Stanley Cup Finals GRRRR!

2009-06-19T19:41:00.007-04:00

Last Friday, we headed over to our friends' house to watch game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. It was a pretty big deal considering Reon's fav team is the Pittsburgh Penguins and mine is OBVIOUSLY Detroit Red Wings. Last year, we had the same match up with the Red Wings taking the cup!!!!

Unfortunately, this year's conclusion was not so victorious for Detroit... :(

Here is what the "match up" looked like not only on the ice but between Reon and me.... (not to mention a bit of taunting from our friends who are die hard Wings fans!)

A little penguin humor

Friendly opponents...

....not anymore - THE BATTLE

Me, numbing the pain of the goals against the Wings (while still showing my support)

Although we lost, we did lose with dignity and to the :::cough cough::: better team :::cough cough::: (did I say that?) ---at least ONLY for this year!!

Week 3 Peekies

2009-06-12T18:19:00.003-04:00

I'm such a tease! wink wink...

Sneaky Peeky

2009-06-06T17:50:00.005-04:00

Here's a little sneak peek at Week 2's sketch for YMBD's 92 Days of Summer Contest

Stay tuned for the release of the entire sketch!

WEEK 2 SKETCH

Summer is FUN at YMBD!

2009-06-01T15:51:00.005-04:00

Join us at YMBD for a great summer contest that starts today! It's the 92 Days of Summer Contest!!!! I am providing the inspirational sketches each week. Come and check it out!

Here's Week one's sketch:

Another Mantra Song

2009-05-26T18:30:00.001-04:00

"Sign Of Life"

What did I just say
Well, I can't remember
The room is spinning and
My Heart is skipping beats
Cause I finally cut all the ties
That were hanging on me

It's a sign of life
To be so confused
You jump and it feels
Like you're falling

You find the hope, the
strength, the heart
And just when you think
there's nothing left
Cause when it feels just like
you're drowning
That's when you fight for
every breath
You find the faith, the will,
the words
To break through the silence
and the pain
Cause when it feels just like
you're dyin'
That's a sign of life

Sooner or later
You come to the point
Where you have to choose
Who and what you want to be
And I made a decision
Not so long ago
To be happy

It's a sign of life
To be unafraid
You jump and it feels
Like you're flying

[Chorus]

Break down
Shattered
My reflection is scattered
Like ashes in the wind
I'll begin again

[Chorus]

Spring Fever

2009-05-26T15:00:00.002-04:00

My favorite parts of Spring:

Open windows

The smell of fresh cut grass

Birds chirping

Light Scented Candles

Fresh cut flowers

Crisp breeze while I sleep

Sunglasses

Update Catch Up -- PART 4

2009-05-25T21:18:00.008-04:00

Here are some goodies from May that I created for YMBD! Enjoy!

Update Catch Up -- PART 3

2009-05-25T20:58:00.003-04:00

I received my passport!!!!!!!!!!!! WOO WOO!!!!!

I never thought that a little booklet filled with colorful pages would make me feel so alive and mature. Reon and I are "planning" several trips... now that I can actually take them! LOL. Who knows if we will go on them all, but it is nice to dream. *relaxing sigh*

However, we WILL be going to Mexico sooner than later!!! Fingers crossed for next summer! I have it in my sights and you all know what that means! LOL

(we're thinking the Riviera Maya)

It is an awesome feeling to know that now I can travel the World. Watch out, here I come!

Update Catch Up -- PART 2

2009-05-25T20:19:00.006-04:00

Here's some more updating...

The weekend after the wedding, Reon and I headed to Toronto for our monthly visit with Jarrod and Amy. It was another gorgeous weekend (weather wise) so we decided to head downtown for some good fun at the St. Lawrence Market!

It was really neat to actually be inside the fresh market with all the fish, fruits, homemade pastas and MUCH more. It was a sight I have always wanted to see and experience but never thought I would! (I was having such a blast checking everyhting out I unfortunately forgot to take any pics of the inside -- oops!!!

It was a great part of town with little booths lining the streets. They each had eccentric items and beautifully handmade jewelry. Reon bought me an incredible necklace that I am so in love with! **xoxo**

After wandering the streets we did stop to eat down the road with charming buildings surrounding us. (If you look closely you can see part of the necklace...)

The wind started to pick up so we headed back to their house so that we could get ready to go to some other friends' house for dinner. Our plans were put on hold when all of a sudden threatening clouds started rolling in...

...the wind was swirling so quickly that the house started shaking and we heard loud howling whipping around the property. Amy and I decided to head down stairs just in case, when Reon and Jarrod came flying around the corner with panic looks on their faces! This is why:

These pics were taken the next morning (note: Here's some perspective -- Reon is on top of the trunk and it 6'3" Jarrod is at the base of the tree with the roots and is 6'1") :

The tree that stood tall for years was uprooted a nearly missed our car by only a few feet! Talk about a crazy turn of events!

The night did end up turning out to be GREAT. Food, friends, games and laughter. What more could you ask for??

P.S. This is Gus, their funny little Cat!

Update Catch Up -- PART 1

2009-05-25T19:38:00.013-04:00

Get comfy in your seats because here comes a month of catch up blogging!!!

So, way back in April, Reon's cousin Claudette got married. Unfortuantely Reon was unable to attend because he was out of town for work. However, it gave me an opportunity to have a girl's weekend with my friend Kristin!!

We headed out to Canada for the beautiful ceremony in Amherstburg. It was a gorgeous day for a wedding! So sunny and warm!
Claudette looked absolutely stunning and was glowing the entire time!
After the vows and exchanging of the rings, Kristin and I headed back to the hotel to "freshen up" and get our party attire on!
Some random shots of the rest of the wedding:

Poker faces (thanks to Lady Gaga!!)...

What is a wedding without some classic Jarrod moves?!?!...

...And some drinks (Mark doesn't seem to like it....lol)

Congrats Claudette and Jason! We had a blast!

New Scraps

2009-04-15T15:52:00.002-04:00

Here's some new scrapping goodies designed by moi.... ENJOY!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-10T12:33:00.001-04:00

RAK

2009-04-06T17:29:00.002-04:00

RAK, RAK,...... who wants a RAK??????

post a comment and you have a chance to win one of two YMBD RAKs. Good luck!

Totally 80's!

2009-04-06T13:16:00.007-04:00

Last week, we had spirit week at work/school. We had hat day, wacky hair day, sports day, dress like a friend day and we had 80's day!!! OH YEAH! ......... (warning: the pictures to follow may bring back distinct and repressed memories, it may make you flinch, and/or it may cause an eruption of laughter that will be uncontrollable.)

There---- you have been properly warned....... :D

THE MAKEUP

The CRIMPER (that's right, I still own it AND the waver too!)

The HAIR

THE FINAL PRODUCT!!!!!! (complete with double shoulder pads, lol)

Oh yay, I rocked it out....... :::wink wink::: (thanks to some much needed help from my Mom's collection)

Here are some more fun pictures of the rest of the adults who relaxed and had a bit of fun at our expense! The kids LOVED it and got a kick out of us dressed up.

way to work the lycra Kim!

Actually, I am disappointed that I didn't take pictures of any of the kids, because you would have thought they actually KNEW the 80's personally, they looked GREAT too! I am hoping that some pictures of the kids get uploaded to our shared file at work and then I will be able to post some of the awesome outfits!

The whole day was a complete blast and brought back some very cheerful, fun memories! However, the cherry on the top.............. I am going to see NKOTB on June 25th with some friends! Totally loving the 80's again!!!!!!!

WTF?!?!?!

2009-04-06T13:11:00.002-04:00

date..... picture....... WTF?!?! Need I say more?

For Now, this is my Mantra:

2009-03-28T12:27:00.001-04:00

Passport Day in the USA!

2009-03-28T10:51:00.002-04:00

I procrastinated long enough and FINALLY applied for my US passport today! The travel requirements are changing June 1st and since we are always crossing the border to travel to Canada I knew I needed to get on this!

I have to say I am excited! I feel like now I can travel ANYWHERE I want (well, once the passport comes in the mail!) It's such an official document and I love the feeling that I am going to have one. I think I might have to plan a trip now so that I can use it (and not just to travel to Canada).

They did take my birth certificate though so I was nervous about that. I'm not used to NOT having it with me at all times. YIKES!!! So, I rushed home and ordered a new copy to have in the meantime. I hope that comes soon! Then I have 4-6 weeks before the passport comes! YAY!

I love the feeling of accomplishment even if it is for the little things! lol.

Eli the Rock Star!

2009-03-21T09:05:00.002-04:00

How stinkin' cute is he?!?!?!

Way to Rock it out Eli!

Scraps, Scraps, Scraps....

2009-03-18T15:38:00.002-04:00

ENJOY!!!!

A Wonderful Weekend

2009-02-14T11:05:00.015-05:00

Last weekend, Reon and I went to Toronto. We went out there to visit our family/good friends, Jarrod and Amy. They actually live in Aurora which is about 20 minutes outside of Downtown Toronto in this BEAUTIFUL home full of love and charm. The area is remarkable and there house is on a great piece of land surrounded by beautiful nature. They have these HUGE windows on each wall that open a view of the property and another gorgeous house (or mansion if you will). The second we walked in we felt like it was home.

Saturday, we headed out to downtown TO (I have never been and as you may already know, I LOVE the city. So I was pumped to head down and take in the hustle bustle, interesting people, and stunning architecture. On our way we stopped at Cathedral City and admired this exceptional cathedral:

We even saw George W. Bush as the Pope!!! LOL

Next we headed down town and our first stop was the CN Tower (well at least AFTER a short stop at the Steam Whistle Brewery):

After a few beers, consumed by Jarrod and Amy only (we are not beer people), we made the short trek to the tower. And of course we had to take some photos:

The tower was actually quite interesting! I am not afraid of hieghts so I was able to completely take in the view and exprience the glass floor (that's right, I walked on it- actually we even laid down on it for some photo ops):

The rest of the day we spent touring the city streets. We spent a total of 8 hours walking the streets of Toronto. We met this one random guy who inspired us all with some of his views about life, spirituality, health, etc. It was a moment I will hold dear and will never forget.

We did stop at a few pubs on the way and just chilled out.

The rest of the weekend we spent sharing stories, memories and just casual chatter. (And some much needed cousin bonding time):

It was hard to leave because it felt so comforting to be around them. I can honestly say it is one of the best weekends we have ever had!

Scrappy Goodness (a quick summary)

2009-02-11T16:44:00.003-05:00

I have been slacking with my blog, I know I know! Here is a quick little update with my scrappy creations!

Introspection

2009-01-13T17:21:00.006-05:00

Over the past couple of weeks I have been doing a lot of deep, inner thinking. I have been reflecting on some feelings that I have been experiencing. Some of these feeling I knew why I had them and where they were coming from but others, I just couldn't place where they came from or how to deal with them. I am happy to say that I found some clarity recently and have had such a pure mind these past couple days.

Last Thursday, Reon and I were watching Grey's Anatomy, one of our favorite shows (yes we do have several!). Most of the time I try reflect on things that occur or are said in the episode, because I truly feel that we can all relate to something that happens in each episode. If anyone watches, you will understand what I am about to say.... the end of the show is always so crucial to the main theme and/or feelings that have been weaved into the plot. The writers will recap a final "point" that is usually intelligent and meaningful. Often times I take these in and undoubtedly it changes my life in a small, but powerful way. However, sometimes I don't notice it because it is is so subtle.

Last week's epilogue crashed into my life with such power that I had to write it down. So, I leave you with this remarkable statement. I hope it brings you as much power as it brought me

"We don't wish for easy stuff. We wish for big things; that are ambitious and out of reach. We wish because we need help and we're scared, and we know we may be asking too much. We will wish though, because sometimes, they come true."

Where have I been this week?

2009-01-10T14:31:00.005-05:00

Let me tell you ---------

I have been designing, shopping and creating this Vegas themed birthday cake for our friend's 30th birthday party tonight. Obviously, it is a Vegas themed party and should be a blast!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I used fondant to create the poker chips and cards and then painted on them with icing die to create the design. The rest is frosting- YUM! TFL!

(Pictures of the party coming soon!)

Happy Scrappy Moments

2009-01-03T10:40:00.003-05:00

This month's kit from YMBD was filled with fun snow type elements. I had some great pictures that I have been meaning to scrapbook (even some from years ago!) It was hard to get started because the timing was a tad hectic, but overall I am pleased with how everything turned out!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-23T11:35:00.003-05:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Snow Day 2008

2008-12-23T09:31:00.012-05:00

Last Friday, we got hit with a CRAZY snow storm! It was one of those snow storms that reminded me of the snow during my childhood. So pretty! Anyway, of course I was even more excited for the fact that school was called off and I was able to have a snow day. The plan was already in the works the night before (just in case). Kristin and I decided to plow through the almost foot of snow and head the the cinema to see Twilight (which I can't stop thinking about BTW!!!)

It normally takes me about 20-25 minutes to get to Waterford but this time it took me over an hour- and that was with no one else on the roads (I guess they weren't as adventurous, hehe.)

I picked up Kristin and then headed to the Cinema, we did get there and saftely (with cappucino in hand and everything.)

he movie was awesome with only two other people in the theater. After wards we did run into fellow Twilight fans who were coming in for the next showing (they even had their Twilight books with them!!!)

We left the theater to expereience the REST of the snowfall and I decided to play a little bit. Who says you can't have fun in the snow as a grown-up??

As you can see we had an eventful and fun snow day!

Winter Fun!

2008-12-14T08:32:00.016-05:00

Last weekend, Reon and I went to Erwin Orchards in South Lyon for their festive of lights along with my parents. It was a beautiful night to go for the tractor ride with our hot chocolate in hand and the sparkle of lights in our eyes.

We headed out to the orchard around 6:30, it had been snowing huge flakes all day long so the orchard was covered in a fresh wihte blanket of snow. It crunched under our feet as we walked around looking at some of the lights on the outside of the mill. (we also stopped to take a few pictures!)

We headed into the heated tent to get our tickets and were greeted by Thunder, the reindeer. How cute is he?

Once inside we had the opportunity to take a few "formal" pictures by a gorgeous winter scene they had set up.

We decided to head into the mill BEFORE heading out on the tractors to enjoy the lights. Once there, we ordered hot chocolate and a donut (afterall it IS still a cider mill!) Then, we stopped and took some pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus (they completely fit the part!) Santa even took a family portrait for us.

We stepped back out into the crisp cold air and hopped on the tractor. We curled up and snuggled to enjoy the third largest light show in the country.

All of the light displays were gorgeous and got us all in the Christmas spirit quickly, especially the boys!

In Honor and Memory of Agathe Renaud

2008-12-08T11:55:00.003-05:00

We love and miss you Tante!

Ultimate Fun!

2008-12-06T11:59:00.003-05:00

On Thursday night we were lucky enough to get tickets to the Red Wings vs. Vancouver game (thanks Mom and Dad!!)

We had an absolute BLAST! The seats were amazing- so close to the players you could actually hear them yelling!) At one point the puck almost went over the glass and scared me half to death (I thought I might get hit!)

This was my first NHL hockey game and let me tell you, it won't be my last! I am seriously considering looking into season tickets! The sheer excitement really made the experience amazing. I didn't want the game to end (which was an amazing game by the way!) The red wings did end up winning 6-5! GO WINGS!!!!!!

November Recap!

2008-12-02T18:06:00.023-05:00

I can't believe it is already December! Since November FLEW past and I didn't really blog much during the past month, I wanted to catch all my blogging buddies up on the events of November. Here is my LONG November recap:

I had a wonderful ladies night out with my friend, Kristin. We went and saw the movie, The Secret Life of Bees (which was awesome!) and then went back to her house for a relaxing night. We wound down from our long week with a nice bottle of bubbly!

We had a blast!

We also attended a Stag and Doe for Reon's cousin Claudette and her fiance Jason.... another FABULOUS night! They had a huge turn out and we had so much fun dancing, talking and partying! (sidenote: Don't mind the duplicate outfit, I did wash it! I must have really been attached to this outfit in November! LOL!)

Reon and I also decided that from now on we are living by this motto: WHOOOOO!!!! (please see picture for full descriptive image of our new motto......) We are being carefree about life from now on (at least, as much as we can be. LOL!)
I did get some scrapbooking done this month! YES! I have been trying to get caught up with some of my "extra DT materials" for YMBD. I feel pretty good with what I got accomplished. Check it out:

Over at YMBD, we also completed out DT search and found us 4 new and EXTREMELY talented ladies to join the team! We are sadly saying goodbye to Donna (at least just on the DT) she will still remain an active member though, PHEW!

Due to this change of pace, I was also promoted to Design Team Leader and have taken on some really neat responsiblities (i.e. Member of the Month and Weekly Gallery Find.) It's great to be part of such a wonderful community! If you haven't headed over there- you really should! It's a heck of a good time!

Another exciting moment we had in November (besides us hosting Thanksgiving for the second year in a row- we love to entertain) was....

ELI'S FIRST BIRTHDAY! I can believe that he is already one! Time flies so fast.

The best part is that we were able to spend his B-day with him. We had a wonderful "small" party for him. My mom made this gorgeous smash cake, hat and cupcake tree!

He really enjoyed his cake and had fun with his presents too!

I hope all of your November's was as exciting and productive as ours was!

Happiness Comes in Many Forms

2008-12-02T16:38:00.004-05:00

Today, happiness is:

the Advent Calendar I am creating for Your Memories By Design.

AND............

a Grande Peppermint White Chocolate Latte WITH peppermint whipped cream! YUM!

Thanksgiving Recap!

2008-11-30T10:19:00.005-05:00

(My little Thanksgiving Helper)

Thanksgiving went off without a hitch. I was tired afterwards but it was all worth it! We have tons of leftovers! I feel as if that is the BEST part of Thanksgivng.

We did make it out to Target on Black Friday. We didn't buy much just some DVD's that were marked down to only $3.98 (Guess what we've been doing all weekend!)

I hope everyone had a great Holiday weekend as well!

Dedication

2008-11-23T13:27:00.003-05:00

I dedicate this song to all my peeps who need a pick me up! I know I need it right now....

Up! By Shania Twain

I VOTED!!

2008-11-04T16:53:00.000-05:00

And boy did it feel good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I DID IT!

2008-10-10T17:19:00.028-04:00

I did it!!! Every minute, every moment and every mile! It was extremely difficult (more than I had ever anticipated) but it was all worth it, knowing that I was able to make a difference in even ONE person's life! Let me summarize the exhausting, emotional, and memorable 3 days...

DAY ONE (September 26)

We began our 3 day experience at 6:00 a.m Friday morning at Oakland Community College in Farmington Hills. It was amazing to see the traffic and even more amazing and breath-taking to experience the beginning of a journey that I will never forget.

We began opening ceremonies at 7:00 and then made our way out onto the streets of Farmington Hills.

We walked through gorgeous parks, neighborhoods and through two inspiring cheering stations.

We ended Day One in Livonia at Rotary Park, where we had to walk extra mileage just to get into the entrance of camp.

We grabbed our gear and set up our "home" for the next 3 days!

Once we set up, ate, and chatted we had "lights out" at 9 p.m. and began to feel the effects of the HILLS in Farmington "Hills"! I woke up at 11:30 p.m. feeling sore and worried that I would not be able to walk Day 2.

DAY TWO (September 27)

It is amazing how your body recovers at night! We woke up at 5 a.m. and immediately hit the warm showers. It felt so relaxing to loosen the muscles and it got me even more pumped to hit our route for day 2! After a fabulous breakfast we hit the 20.9 mile route through Plymouth at 7:30 a.m.

I wrote a journal entry once I got back to camp about Day 2 to share with all of you:

"Day Two. What can I say?? It sucked! The best quote I heard all day is 'if you are breathing, then you're still alive!' Ain't that the truth!

There was an impressively large group of supporters that came out today-especially in downtown Plymouth. It brought tears to my eyes as the streets turned pink (even a fountain) and the cheering filled every one's ears and hearts.

At mile 14, I ended up in Medical, where this wonderful lady taped my right ankle.

Even with all the pain, 4 blisters, a taped ankle and the exhaustion- I managed to make it back to camp after 20.9 miles.

The reception on our return to camp was incredible. It was all made possible by the most energetic group of highschool football players and cheerleaders.

Every day it is still worth it!"

DAY THREE (September 28)

Again, we woke up at 5 in the morning, took our warm showers, and then tore down the tents, packed our gear and loaded the gear trucks. It was time to say farewell to "Tent City" and head out for an amazing final day!

We walked through the beautiful tree-lined Hines Park trails and admired the leaves starting to change for fall. We continued the journey through quaint streets that were filled with the cheerful support!!

Houses and yards were decorated...

There were kids dressed up and were handing out popsicles, stickers and water.

We even saw dogs dressed up to show their support!

We made it through the grueling final miles and crossed the finish line at Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, where we received our victory shirts and pink roses.

Then, we took the emotional and satisfying last "lap" as a group of over 3,000 walkers and survivors. We entered Closing ceremonies with smiles on our faces, tears in our eyes and satisfaction in our hearts.

3,000 walkers walked, 450+ Crew members helped, Hundreds of Medical Staff kept us healthy, Thousands cheered, supported, and sponsored us through our journey! Because of everyone and all of your support, we raised over 7.2 million dollars in the fight against Breast Cancer!!!!!

My life has been touched and is forever changed because of 3 days/60+ miles and TONS of support. I hope your life has been impacted as much as mine!

(SLIDE SHOW COMING SOON!)

It's Time!!!

2008-09-25T18:20:00.003-04:00

and I am ready!!!!!! I am packed and ready to go. Thanks to everyone of my sponsers who believed in me and have supported my efforts for this amazing journey, I have exceeded my minimum of $2,200. I have a total of $2,425 and it is still climbing every day!!!! I am extremely touched by the support I have received during this entire process. Through the training and even up to hours before the walk begins, I continue to receive encouraging words to keep me believing in myself.

I added ribbons to this lanyard that I was given by my co-workers in support of my 3 day journey.

Each ribbon represents my sponsers who have generously donated in order to allow me to meet my minimum requirement. I printed each of your names and will wear it around my neck for the entire 60 miles. I meant it when I said I will keep each of you with me and close to my heart as I walk to find a cure.

This is truly an emotional and life-changing time for me. Each hour that gets closer, the more emotions surround me. I will be taking TONS of pictures and creating a slideshow so that you all can experience this journey that I am about to embark on!

Thanks again for all of your love and support!

2008-09-17T17:40:00.003-04:00

Only 8 full days left until the Breast Cancer 3-Day begins! The excitement and emotions surrounding the event are increasing every day. I am so happy that I took this challenge on. I am also extremely proud of myself that I made it through the training and hung in there during the tough spots. I thank everyone who gave me the support, love and courage to keep going when I felt like I could not walk another mile.

My fundraising hasn’t been easy either. To date I have $1,537 donated on my behalf. In order to participate, I must raise $2,200. I am still hopeful that I will reach my minimum because of so many friends, family, and strangers who have supported me to get this far. I know there are several of you that still want to donate; it is not too late! You can go to my personal page or give it to me (cash or check made out to The Breast Cancer 3-day is perfect!) If you already donated and still want to help, please forward this on to anyone you know that might want to help too.

The other news that I am so enthused to tell you about is that the event information has been released! Please read the full version of the Supporter’s Guide online here. There are several cheering stations that have been arranged to ensure your safety throughout the 3 days of the event. If you can, please stop by so that you can experience the 3 day too!

Friday, September 26:
8:00 am - 11:15 am
Heartland Marketplace Shopping Plaza
Northeast corner of Farmington Road and 12 Mile Road
Farmington Hills

11:45 am - 4:45 pm
North Ridge Commons Shopping Plaza
8 Mile between Farmington Road and Gill Road
Livonia

Saturday, September 27:
10:30 am - 3:00 pm
Downtown Plymouth
Penniman and Main Streets
Plymouth

12:15 pm - 5:30 pm
Frank's Nursery Lot
36630 5 Mile Rd. (for Frank's Nursery and CVS Pharmacy)
Livonia

Sunday, September 28:
7:30 am - 10:00 am
Mid 5 Center
South West corner of 5 Mile Road and Middlebelt Road
Livonia

Also, you are invited and encouraged to come to the closing ceremonies on September 28th. It will be held at The Henry Ford Museum, in Dearborn, starting at 5:30 PM. They recommend coming at least one hour early to secure a spot by the stage and to allow for traffic congestion. I hear this is an emotional and heart-warming experience for everyone in attendance. More information is provided in the Supporter’s Guide (which is linked above).

Again, I appreciate all of your support throughout this entire experience and I hope that I will see you at the cheering stations and at the closing ceremonies!

Truly Feeling Blessed,

Heather

My Book of Summer Fun

2008-08-27T19:20:00.011-04:00

As Summer comes to a close (for me at least) I thought I would share the acrylic album I did for the Design Team at Your Memories By Design. I used YMBD's 6x6 acrylic album and the Funky Doodler Vellum Journaling Tags. Thanks for looking!!

Hidden Journaling behind the strip paper strip...

This Summer I....

2008-08-26T08:48:00.002-04:00

Bought new eyeglasses
Read 6 books (and counting)
Had a BBQ with The Dodd's
Walked 207 miles!
Had dinner with Julie and Eric
Got a needed tan
Relaxed at the pool
Bought a new Entertainment Center
Hugged and loved Jada
Went camping
Went canoeing
Attended two graduation parties
Traveled to St. Louis
Flew by myself for the first time
Traveled to Minnesota
Saw The Dark Night and Mama Mia
Went Paddle Boating
Organized all of our digital photos
Bought the Wii
Had lunch with my work ladies
Helped Kristin set up her classroom
Went to the Stamp Show with my Mom
SCRAPPED!
Did some dogsitting
Helped Laila move
Hosted Janelle's Bachelorette Party

and.........

RELAXED!!!!!!!!

I would say it was a productive summer and now I am reluctantly welcoming Fall!

Adventures in Dog Sitting

2008-08-21T00:27:00.003-04:00

We happily took on the responsibility of dog sitting our friends' (Kristin and Mark) two Corgi doggies for 9 days (4 days left). It has been fun but very exhausting! Here are some pictures from all the activity! ENJOY!!

Sophie and Kong Man

Play Time!!

"Some Privacy Please"

100 Meter Race

The Final Olympic Stretch

Tyler Sun-Bathing

Sophie Sun-Bathing

Rest and Relaxation

RIBBON!!

2008-08-20T21:28:00.002-04:00

And the addiction continues.......

Is there a 12 step program for ribbon addicts?? If so, I guess I have completed step one ---> admitting that I AM AN ADDICT!

Song Share

2008-08-20T15:37:00.002-04:00

Enjoy!!

Freckles
By: Natasha Bedingfield

I used to care so much about what others think about
Almost didn't have a thought of my own
The slightest remark would make me embark
On the journey of self doubt
But that was a while ago
This girl has got stronger
If I knew then what I know now
I would have told myself don't worry any longer it's OK

[Chorus:]
'cause a face without freckles is like a sky without stars
Why waste a second not loving who you are
Those little imperfections make you beautiful, lovable, valuable,
They show your personality inside your heart
Reflecting who you are

Who you are
Who you are
Who you are

I wondered if I could trade my body with somebody else in magazines
Would the whole world fall at my feet?
I felt unworthy and would blame my failures on the ugliness I could see
When the mirror looked at me
Sometimes I feel like the little girl who doesn't belong in her own world
But I'm getting better
And I'm reminding myself

[Chorus]

Reflecting who you are
Reflecting who you are
Hmmm
Whoooooo whoa hmmmm oooooo

[Chorus]

This Book .........

2008-08-20T12:29:00.005-04:00

........is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!! I highly recommend this read!!! AMAZING!

I just found out that they are making a movie too and will be released December 2008! I am excited to see how they do with this movie but I also am nervous to see it because I am usually disappointed with the movie after I read a book

Scrappy Days of Summer

2008-08-20T12:15:00.004-04:00

I have been seriously slacking on my scrapbook creations!! I have two months of awesome product from Your Memories By Design that have been staring me in the face, just taunting my creative juices. So, I finally put everything else aside and I am determined to get some scrapping done!

Saturday, I went to the stamp show with my mom and saw some awesome techniques, saw some beautiful cards for inspiration, and bought some sweet products! It really re-inspired me to get creating. So, yesterday I pulled ALL of my scrapbook stuff out (leaving me with no excuses!) and started creating. I got these two projects done:

I am definately feeling the creative juices running through me now and am off to create an acrylic mini album about all the things I like during the Summer time. Back to glue, paper, ribbons, paint, and glitter....

Welcome to the Family

2008-08-10T17:15:00.005-04:00

I believe this may be the first public appearance of my parents' new little puppy "Gretchen".

She is a German Shorthaired Pointer and is such a little lover but with a GREAT personality. You can already tell how big she is going to become because her legs are so muscular and those paws are massive.

Welcome to the family cutie!!

Some Wii Action Shots

2008-08-10T17:07:00.004-04:00

For your entertainment ONLY! Do NOT try this at home!

Working On My Goals Pt2

2008-08-10T16:55:00.007-04:00

In January I created this Jar:

in order to organize things that I had hoped to accomplish in 2008 (some are long term goals too, and needed me to add them in the jar to keep my focus starting now). Among the long term goals there were several short term ones. I am pleased to announce that I have accomplished several as of today!

To Date I have accomplished these:

(gone camping, taken a well-deserved vacation, improved my flexibility through yoga, organized our digital photos, and made a plan to get my Masters.)

I just had to share with all my blogging buddies because it does truly make me feel like I am working towards a greater life.

Summer Hobby/Addiction 2008

2008-08-05T11:02:00.000-04:00

You may remember last summer that I posted my new found addiction: watching C-Span. Well, a little update on that.... I still LOVE it! However lately they have had a lot of Book TV and that gets boring. So, I wanted to also introduce the latest "hobby" that has made it's way into the D'Andrea home....

Now normally I would NOT allow a game system to cross the threshold and make a comfy home in our Entertainment Center (more on that soon). But ever since I tried the Wii about a year ago, I knew this was ONE system I could allow to slip in.

Reon and I kept eyeing it often and never feel like we wanted to spend the money on it at that time. Well, Sunday night we had to run out to Target and after we meandered into the electronics section (for fun only) we noticed that the price went down significantly!! So, we held out so we didn't make a rash purchase and came home to research other prices.

We found out that Target had the BEST price By far!!!! So, we discussed it and last night we went out and bought it (plus an extra controller, Nunchuk and, of course, rechargeable batteries!) We set it up lickity split (it was very user friendly) and then it kept me up late into the night (I am embarrassed to admit the ACTUAL time). I was boxing, bowling, playing tennis and MUCH more!

I have to say it was a worthy investment because ALL of my muscle are sore.... I guess that will count for my cross-training!! I will post some of our Wii action shots soon!

Wii party, anyone??

It's Getting Closer!

2008-08-03T01:23:00.002-04:00

With less than 2 months left until the Breast Cancer 3-day walk, I am in full training and fundraising mode. As of today I have walked 229 training miles and raised $1,150!

Since the last update, I bought my 2nd pair of shoes, a few pieces of clothing, and have planned for a fundraising event! Lately, my fundraising total has hit a speed bump and I am starting to feel the crunch of the required $2,200 to participate. If you are still planning to sponsor me and to donate to the cause, please try to do so by September 1st. I am still thinking positively, in hopes that I will exceed the requirement.

I want to thank the many supporters I have had thus far! I can’t tell you how great it feels when I get encouraging phone calls and emails wondering how my training is coming along, and even offering to be a walking partner! The training is becoming much more intense- this week we had a total of 36 miles to walk (15 in one day), so it has been nice to have partners to help keep me entertained.

Next week the training is only 25 miles total (the largest miles being 8 and 6 for Saturday and Sunday.) I am thankful to see the lower mileage and I can’t help but laugh when I realize that I now consider the 8 and 6 as “low” mileage. I guess there is something to be said for building endurance!

Please keep me in your thoughts and I will continue to keep you posted on my training and fundraising efforts. I truly appreciate all of the support each of you have given to me as I get ready to walk for a cure!

A Book Review (aka Author Review)

2008-08-02T21:32:00.005-04:00

I'm sure you have noticed my 'Book(s) I am reading section' on the left side of my blog already, and are well aware of my obsession with books! I love the smell of fresh books (walking in the door of Borders IS one of my favorite places), the look of crisp unread pages, and the feel of a story unfolding in my hands.

I have this habit of buying books and putting them in my "to read" pile. It is a passion (just likes shoes and handbags!) that I cannot live without. During the year I do get to read several books. I try to read before bed and during some "extra" time during the week. However, when summer comes around it is full fledged READING CATCH UP! I pull out my "to read" pile and put them in order of what books I will read first. (Now these books not only include books that I have bought, but also books that have been given to me as referrals.) This summer I have/HAD a huge pile that I have wanted to read and several new books that are calling my name at Borders. I promised myself (and my hubby) that I would read my books on the shelf BEFORE buying new.

I have almost depleted my "to read" pile which this leads me to my raving over a new author I was referred to by my friend Susan (thanks girl!)- Marian Keyes. :::loving sigh::: She is an AMAZING author. I am totally hooked onto her books. She combines subtle humor, dramatic (and sometimes tragic) twists, along with beautiful love stories. I had two of her books on my list and I have finished them both: Anybody Out There? and The Other Side of the Story.

Both books sent me on an emotional roller coaster ride; crying, laughing, smiling, and frowning... and have also left me drooling to read another book! I am looking forward to following her writing career (once I catch up with the many books she has brilliantly written), just like I do Emily Giffin's ingenious stories.

I have one more book on the docket and then it is off to Borders to buy more! Happy reading!!

Here We Go!

2008-07-18T18:06:00.003-04:00

After a long and exciting week of activities and travel we are heading out to a beautiful vacation spot over-looking Potato Lake in Park Rapids, Minnesota! I can't wait to have some R & R, sit by the beach and read my books. We are going to try to go horseback riding (which we have wanted to do for a while but haven't the chance) and just enjoy the view! I will post pics when we get back!

Camping, Camping and MORE camping!!

2008-07-13T18:27:00.018-04:00

We are so excited to have our niece, Jada visiting us and her dad for the summer!! We have been doing so many fun things with her, and this weekend we took her camping as a summer treat and also a special belated birthday present! We did so much stuff that now I can barely keep my eyes open and my fingers moving to post this little update because I am SO tired from all the FUN we had this weekend!

Friday Jada and I spent all day getting ready and packing up all the camping equipment (including a few special animal friends that HAD to join us!) We filled the car up to the top with all the goodies!!!

(Here is Jada entertaining herself with her sticker book as we drove to the camp!)

Once we got there, we unpacked the car and starting setting up our "home" for the weekend. Jada just had to help her Uncle Reon set up the tent!!!

After the tent was all set up it was time to start the fire so that we could cook dinner. Unfortunately we had a little trouble getting the campfire started and recruited several other campers to help. It took four guys (including Reon) and their expertise to get that fire started but once it was started boy was it great!!!!

(Uncle Reon and Jada enjoying our fire-cooked dinner!)

The first night Jada met a friend two campsites over named Max! They were inseparable all weekend! They had so much fun....

After a long day, it was time to stay up late and snuggle by the campfire while eating s'mores and making scary faces in the tent:

(Campfire cuddles with Jada!)

(Family Hug)

(AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!! Scary Jada face!)

(Jada in her butterfly sleeping bag complete with flashlight and water bottle!)

Friday proved be a great day so we knew that Saturday was going to be even better! We woke SO early Saturday morning (5 a.m. to be exact!!!) and decided that it would be a ton of fun to make morning marshmallows. I mean, When else do you get to eat marshmallows first thing in the morning- why not during a special camping weekend!!!

After we took a small rest back in the tent we got back up and ate donuts for breakfast... later Jada also went to the Host Tent with Max for some complimentary hot chocolate and an extra donut hole!

If all of that wasn't fun enough, we surprised Jada with a canoe ride!!! Unfortunately, we had a HUGE rain storm for about 30 minutes before we could go. So we had to hide out in the tent!!!

It eventually cleared up and we were out of the tent and ready for a relaxing canoe ride (at least for Jada and I. Reon ended up doing ALL of the rowing, with a little bit of "help" from Jada sticking the ore in the water to "catch" fish for her restaurant!)

We really enjoyed the campsite that we were staying at. They organized ALL these different activities for the kids to keep them entertained and to also learn about nature so that they wouldn't be as scared during the night. Saturday night, it was "Batty Up!" time. It was a nighttime hike into the woods to learn, play and look for Bats. Jada got all ready; bug spray, comfy shoes, flashlight, comfortable nature-friendly-clothes, and a smile! She was ready to go!!

There's Jada with her Bat Buddy, Max. It was pretty dark but if you look closely you can see them.)

She made it about 20 minutes into the hike before she got a little too scared of how dark it was! So, we made some more S'mores and played a dice game and then headed off to sleep!!!

Overall, We think that the weekend went great!!! We had a blast with all the activities and can't wait to go back. Now, it is time for a little Finding Nemo, popcorn and relaxation!!!

Happy Birthday To Me!!!!

2008-06-19T16:52:00.005-04:00

Combining coupons, Gift certificates and some generous gifts of money... I was able to treat myself to this....

Happy Birthday Day to me!!!!

Mini Book- Round 5

2008-06-19T16:38:00.003-04:00

I had an absolute blast creating this mini album!!! I wanted to create this book for a while and had the perfect opportunity with The Gauntlet Round 5 challenge. I specifically chose "simple" aspects of my life that I love and try to not take for granted. Each time I have experiences with this items it makes me blessed that I appreciate the simpler things in life, along with the complicated things.

I chose to create four different categories: Places, Music, Smells, and Objects. This is what I created!!!

A Fun Contest

2008-06-04T18:10:00.010-04:00

I can't believe how much fun I am having with The Gauntlet contest at Scrapperie. I have been so lucky to make it into Round 5 (of 7) with some AMAZING scrappers! The challenges have been fun, and challenging. Many have taken me FAR out of my comfort zone but I enjoyed pushing myself to create unique LOs that I normally would not have created.

Round 1 We were asked to create a layout about ourselves. So this is my layout title "LiFe." It is a layout all about my deepest feelings and emotions of my life right now. You can read the detailed journaling here.

Round 2 pushed us to create a card in a unique shape (not a common square, rectangle, or circle). I found this harder than I had thought! I made a Happy Birthday flower!

On to Round 3 I had the most fun with this challenge! We needed to create a layout about an inanimate object. I chose to scrap about the Chocolate Torte I made for Mother's Day... it was delicious and I feel the same way as I look at this LO title, Le Chocolat.

Round 4... a HUGE challenge!! This pushed me right out of my comfort zone. YIKES!! It was scary creating this one! LOL... We had to choose a piece of art and mimic it in a scrapbook layout. I chose the painting Astro Art by Lisa Kowalski and created this layout about how I feel about our married life after 2 years!

Thankfully, I am onto Round 5 where we get to make a mini book! Yeah! I can't wait to get all my supplies out and get scrappin'! I'm grateful we have 2 weeks on this challenge!

Somethings To Share

2008-04-23T17:35:00.006-04:00

This weekend was filled with activity! I trained, cleaned, grocery shopped, organized and scrapped (FINALLY!!!) Here are some creations I finished...

This is a two page LO of my nephew, Evan's, 1st birthday party. I have had it sitting out, shamelessly collecting dust, for almot 2 months!!! I am happy that I was able to set some time aside to show this celebration. He really liked his cake!

product list: Bazzil Cardstock, American Crafts pp, MM stitches yarn, American Crafts sticker letters (simply chic), K.I. Memories fuzzy felt sticker letters (surprise), YMBD.etsy.com journaling tags, misc Cherry Arte punch outs

A LO of my other nephew, Eli. He's so darn cute I could hug him all the time!

Just a card I made for my friend's birthday!

product list: Bazzil cardstock, Cherry Arte pp and punch outs, Michaels misc ribbon, Close to My Heart paper flowers, YMBD.etsy.com frosted flower brads

These Shoes Were Made For Walking....

2008-04-15T20:12:00.004-04:00

and that's just what they'll do!

Here's an update on my progress:

I have been working hard on my Breast Cancer 3 Day goal as I am sure you can imagine. I just recently went to the "Get Started Meeting" in Novi and it got me pumped up! I even became a team captain and created our team entitled, Quest for the Chest. My team is already starting to grow and I am hoping to add even more teammates soon!

Also, I have been working on my pre-training to-dos. I now know why they have such a vigorous training schedule! My full training began this week and I am starting to log in those miles!

I bought my first pair of running shoes (we will need 2 pairs for the event) and checked out some of my options for clothing. I also bought a pink hat that I will wear on the walk!

As for my fundraising, I have been blessed to receive a total of $710! I still have my goal set at $6,000 and am also looking into some fundraising events to raise even more money to fund a cure.

Thanks for all your support!

Suite Retreat

2008-02-24T21:55:00.010-05:00

This weekend I was lucky enough to attend the Suite Retreat again! The same scrapbooking weekend I participated in, in September. However, the best part of this retreat weekend was that my mom came with me! We had a true girls weekend since Friday afternoon. We cropped, chatted, ate, got massages, and just hung out! It was wonderful. I am thankful that we were able to spend such quality time together (we don't get THAT many opportunities to have uninterrupted mother/daughter bonding time).

I was able to accomplish MOST of my to-do's over the course of the three days. I finished two LOs. One of my cutie pie, Reon:

Also, I created my first LO for the YMBD Design Team using her chipboard letters. I am so pumped to continue creating with Cat's wonderful products!

I finished the 2 Daises Designs Word Bloom book that I received in my January DT kit for Scrapwords (I was slacking a bit on finishing this... I admit that the knife word around the letters had intimidated me at first, but actually it wasn't as bad as I thought and I truly enjoyed creating this!) I still have to add the pictures and journaling...

I have been dreaming of a project to do about our wedding for almost two years now! I really didn't want to scrapbook an entire album devoted to our wedding because we are blessed with a beautiful, professional photo album. So, I saw the photo cubes my K.i. Memories and knew that I wanted to create an altered project with love as the theme. I was giving a DT challenge for February to create an altered item with the theme love, so I was given a push to tackle this project. I'm glad I did... I love it!

And last but not least... I was able to finish ONE card before we headed home to give hugs and kisses to our hubbies.

This scrapbooking retreat was the perfect end to a wonderful week vacation from work. I'm not sure I'll be fully energized tomorrow morning when the alarm goes off! TFL!

I Want It!

2008-02-20T16:48:00.005-05:00

I have come across my new big "WANT"!! I was just peacefully "googling" around on cutting systems (still trying to figure out what would be the best one for me) and I came across this wonderful comparison chart with every cutting system available! Each system is analyzed fully with additional info and facts.

Anyway...I found the Klic-n-Kut Element! It does everything from cutting cardstock to cutting metal and BEYOND! I was reading a few reviews and saw that the software that comes with it has the option of importing a real image into the computer and then the Klic-n-Kut will actually make a cutout of that image! AMAZING!

I think I'll have to save up for a bit!

Feeling Honored

2008-02-05T15:27:00.001-05:00

On Friday, I was offered a wonderful opportunity! I still can't believe that it actually happened. I was hand-picked to create for a new and rising scrapbook company; Your Memories By Design I am so thankful to owner, Cat for giving myself and two other wonderfully talented women this opportunity and honor to design using her products. I always here speeches on award shows where the winner refers to how honored they feel to have just been nominated with such incredible talent, and that is exacty how I feel for both being asked to create with Cat's incredible products and also to be on the DT with Meg and Donna. Just being included in the creative trio makes me feel blessed!

I give all of us a little TOOT TOOT! What a great experience! Woohoo!!!

Working On My Goals

2008-01-25T16:06:00.000-05:00

I am feeling so great so far in 2008. I don't know if I said before, but, I don't make resolutions for myself because I challenge myself to work hard throughout all the years on MANY goals.

I created my Hopes & Dreams jar for my January's DT challenge and created circles to fill up the inside. I created a circle that read, "increase my flexibility with Yoga."

Here's a little background: I danced (all kinds competitively) for YEARS and my worst regret is quitting. I have never found something I have had such a passion for (except scrapping of course) to replace what once was my entire life! Since graduating from College, and having more time on my hands, I realized that I really want to dance again, (another one of my goal circles for 2008.) I have looked into local dance studios that have adult classes but still have technique incorporated (classes for returning dancers). Well, the first step in getting back in this intense sport is to regain my flexibility!

I joined a yoga class, have had 3 classes, and I can already see the flexibility stretching back in my body! I am ecstatic! I'll soon be able to complete one of my 12 goal circles (so far) for 2008 and work towards completing the goal of recommitting to dance.

Happy December!

2007-12-01T10:19:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it is already December but I am glad. I am already in the Christmas spirit! Now I just have to finish up my shopping! Just thought I would give you some holiday excitement with a 12 Days of X-mas book I have been working on. Here's days 1 throught 6. Enjoy!

Enjoy the snow that is coming soon!

I'd Agree (mostly!)

2007-11-21T10:09:00.000-05:00

I took this quiz about my personality and I find it to be MOSTLY ture (not all the things I feel are accurate but I'm shocked and how close this description is!) It is based only on pictures! CRAZY!

Temperament-Cosmopolitan

When you wake up in the morning, you set out to impress and to make a lasting impression on those who you encounter. You surround yourself with all the right people and right things - making you a real trendsetter. Others admire and want to be just like you. Second best will not do - it's the best (and only the best) for you. You are attentive to detail in yourself, your surroundings and your social circle.

Interests-Fashionable

Sophisticated, glamorous and experienced. You love everything that is new, fashionable and in vogue. Others admire you, but can't always relate to you since you are a real diamond in the ruff. You like to be two steps ahead of everyone else when it comes to the latest and greatest trends. It could take your counterparts years to adopt your current trends. You just seem to know what's "hot" before everyone else does.

Amusement-Ambitious

Work is your number one focus and your most important passion. It is your happiness. You are persistent, attentive and tireless. When everyone else slips away, you are left holding all of the responsibilities. You are the person that everyone knows they can count on in a tough situation, but sometimes you can be taken advantage of. Don't let your passion to pursue your goals override your need to live a balanced life.

Passion-Physical

You are a cuddle bug - from a warm hug shared with your best friend to making love with your partner, you enjoy every bit of human contact that you can get. You demonstrate your love for others most fluidly through physical one-on-one contact and you feel the most loved when you are being touched. You feel disconnected when you are physically isolated from others. You're a people person and a lover of all things human.

Thanksgiving Happiness

2007-11-21T09:45:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited for Thanksgiving this year. Starting off my excitement is that I have 5 days off from work! So, I get to have a day to myself with scrapping, and prepping for MY first Thanksgiving meal. I am hosting dinner this year and I can't tell you how excitedI am about it. I love to cook and THIS is THE meal to try-out! I finally get my chance this year.

Yesterday, Reon and I went shopping for all the fixings...and we had a surprisingly fun time! Picking out all the ingredients and goodies made me feel warm and filled with happy thoughts of thanks. Here's our menu:

*Cheese and Cracker Platter
*Deviled Eggs
*Crescent Rolls
*Traditional Roasted Turkey
*Stuffing
*Cranberry Sauce
*Green/Wax Beans
*Corn
*Glazed Carrots
*Mashed Potatoes
*Sweet Potato Bake
*Pumpkin Pie
*Egg Nog drinks!

I can't wait to start cooking and have all the smells fill the kitchen and house. I know it won't be a "small" task to complete but I am ready and happy to cook for the family. Entertaining is one of my hobbies and it sends me such joy to have everyone over for a great time with laughter and love. I hope that everyone's thanksgiving will be bright and happy too!

P.S. They are calling for snow tomorrow!

Life's Simple Pleasures

2007-11-07T17:56:00.000-05:00

I think it is very important to find a simple pleasure in life. Sunday, I found mine. It always makes me feel calm and satisfied when I experience a time in my life where the simplest activity gives me serenity.

I met my friend, Julie, at Starbucks so that we could "catch up" with each other (a much needed activity in our chaotic lives). We ordered Pumpkin Spice Lattes and found a cozy table to enjoy some coffee 'n chat! Daylight savings switched over Saturday at midnight here in Michigan... so as we were sitting in the cafe, I noticed the ambiance that the pendant lighting created inside along with darkening skies outside. The sound of grinding coffee, machines steaming and the calming music was a great backdrop for us to share intimate discussions and to leave our afflictions behind.

Every so often when life takes over, these tiny parts of our lives seem to have the greatest impact!

Fall Fun

2007-10-11T16:08:00.000-04:00

Okay so from our apple picking adventure, I finally made a homemade apple pie. I have made many things from scratch but I believe this is my first REAL homemade apple pie (all from scratch).

Just wanted to share with you all the mouth-watering photos. My hubby will be gobbling it all up soon so I had to get a photo or two in before his fork dipped into it!

(Credit given to my mom for teaching me how to make a perfect golden crust pie!)

Here We Go -a- Apple Picking

2007-09-30T19:11:00.001-04:00

Today we went Apple Picking with Kristin and Mark. We had such a fun time. Who knew that walking around and orchard and picking apples for a couple hours could be so entertaining!

(Erwin's Orchard)

I have to say though, I believe it was made entertaining mostly by the guys. They are the ones who decided that it would be hilarious to taste test the apples along the way to see which ones we should pick.

(The tractor ride)

(Taste Testing)

(Multi-Tasking)

(Apple Excitement!)

Reon had a goal all of his own. His mission seemed to be one of a good Samaritan to the other apple pickers in the Orchard. He went around to try to find the apples that "no one would want" pick them and throw them away. I have to give it to him to be so kind to alleviate the stress of picking the "bad ones" of the tree so that people could get to the good ones easier. That's my husband- always thinking of others :-)

(Height Counts!)

When we got there the line was outrageously LONG! It did move quickly however if I had to estimate there were probably 200 people in line to go on the tractor ride to the orchard and 250+ in line for the Cider Mill.

(The Wait)

Once we got up to the cashier to buy our bag, we didn't think that you could fit the 25 apples in our bag that they were claiming. That was MY mission. To fit as many apples in the bag as I could. I wanted my money's worth of our Peck!

(In the Orchard)

I have counted how many apples we stuffed in the bag... the number amazes me! 45! I am happy to know that I spent ONLY $0.22 on each apple. With all those apples, we sure are going to be eating a lot of pie!

(Mission Complete)

The Other One

2007-09-30T18:51:00.000-04:00

Here's the LO that I needed to finish up before I posted. This is Aleta Maurina - one of the adorable twins.

The journaling reads: The beauty of a girl cannot be mimicked, fabricated, or created by human means, it only occurs naturally. ~ Pam Callaghan

The overlay is titled Beauty and has the quote, "beauty is a light in the heart"

Wow - That Was Fun!

2007-09-25T22:43:00.000-04:00

Alright, so first I have to say; I never thought I would be so tired from a scrapbooking weekend. It was all relaxation, scrapping, massages, food, and fun girl talk! LOL. One big pajama party, but an exhausting one at that. I came home and actually had to take a nap!

I had such a blast this weekend. I did a lot of creating and actually learned a lot about myself as a scrapbooker. I realized that not only am I an organized scrapbooker but I scrapbook as a therapeutic outlet. I enjoy the soft, soothing music on my iPod- it inspires me to let my inner self come out on my pages.

I got to the hotel (which was beautiful and luxurious!) at around 4 p.m. on Friday. I created my menu for the meals we were given (that was the best, we got to order what we wanted. All from great places, one of my favorites being Panera Bread Company.) Then, I signed up for my massage for Saturday. Once I got situated I started scrapping (getting used to my new creative space for a few days). It was so great to see everyone having such a great time.

Each day we were given little surprises. When we arrived, they had a packet with our name (it contained all the information we needed for the weekend, i.e. the itinerary) There was also a goodie bag awaiting us, which had a beautiful insulated mug (mine is pink!), chapstick, popcorn, Certs, and gum. It was perfect. Saturday's gift was a little photo organizer box, it is darling. Sunday we were given a hand-made thank you card complete with a note to each of us AND a bunch of stickers. The whole thing was so well organized and thoughtful!

I am a little sad that it is over, but I am happy to be back with my hubby! He got back from the Jeep Jamboree at around 6. We both had fun weekends to share stories about, his being a bit more adventurous then mine!

Here is what I accomplished!

This is my sketch book that I have been wanting to alter for a LONG time! I tend to sketch out my scrapbook Layouts so I wanted my book to be a creative piece to hold all of my ideas too! It has a section for LO sketches, journaling, and quotes. It also has pockets in case I need to slip pieces of inspiration inside!

"Bloom"

"Evan"

"Friendship"

"Perfect Family"

"Superstars"

"Wedding Happiness"

(One more LO to come, I have to finish the journaling and then I will post that too!) TFL!

BRUISED!

2007-08-04T14:36:00.001-04:00

Well! Last night was a lot of fun, however I am hurting today! Reon and I joined his work crew for a little "friendly" game of Whirly Ball. We both had not played the game before but had heard that it was tons of fun. So, we made the attempt to try it out.

This was the first time that I was meeting his coworkers from his new job so I was a little timid; until I got out on the court. Apparently, they felt the same way because they all kept RAMMING INTO ME! They definitely didn't take it easy on me. I TRIED to give them a taste of their own medicine. The main problem, was that I wasn't heavy enough to impact their bumper car. It ended up that I would try to ram into them and I would move them a little and then MY car would bounce back! LOL! So fun!

Reon's boss, Kale, hit me real good at one point and the steering stick from my bumper car smashed into my thigh (BRUISE). Then a few minutes later, I was T-boned by two other coworkers. My car jumped off the ground and slammed back down. BRUISE!

I am plotting my revenge for the next game! IT'S ON!

Speechless (but only a little bit!)

2007-08-01T21:51:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it! I made the Scrapwords DT! This is so exciting. I have always hoped to become a DT member but I didn't actually think it was a possibility. Thanks to Leslie and her team they have made my scrapbooking dream a true reality! Everyone seems so supportive and welcoming. I am honored to be a part of this dynamic creative team!

Another Racing Weekend

2007-07-29T16:54:00.000-04:00

Well, Reon must be completely beside himself that he has experienced racing two weekends in a row. Last weekend, he got to drive the race cars in an open track, but this time he actually got to ride in the Pace car for the racers warm-up run. It was so funny to see him, he was like a little kid on Christmas.

We were there supporting a friend who actually participates in the races. He did spin out and we saw a race car roll over, and then over again landing back on the wheels. It was a little scary but all in all it was safe fun. When Pete brought the car back in, we played around and sat in it making "Vrooming" noises trying to fully appreciate the racing experience. I have to say it very easy to get in, but getting out does present it's challenges!

Jay's Update

2007-07-23T14:04:00.000-04:00

Diagnosis: Sprained ligament in shoulder

Prescription: Tylenol and rest

PHEW!!!!

Weekend Fun

2007-07-22T17:59:00.000-04:00

Yet again we had a very fun-filled but busy weekend! (With many more to come also!!!)

Friday was Reon's softball game which turned out to be "almost" a shut out for his team. They won and did a great job playing! Laila and Lane came out to the late game in support and watched as Reon made the best hit in his softball playing career. He did a great job. Jay, our friend and Reon's team mate, made an amazing playing... running from third base to home, trying to beat the speed of the ball flying to home base, he dove and rolled like a tumble weed. Unfortunately he both was tagged out and he hurt his shoulder REALLY badly. He was out of commission for the rest of the game and probably for the rest of the season, if not more! The really neat part is that Lane filled in for him during the last inning and made some nice plays himself, avoiding a ball that popped right up and almost knocked him out TOO!

After the game, Reon helped Jay get his stuff to the car, made a makeshift sling out of his windbreaker, started Jay's car and sent him off to his Brother-in-law so that he could look at his shoulder at 1 a.m. !!! We haven't heard if he is okay, so we are really hoping that it was just a sprain and nothing actually tore! Poor Jay, We're thinking of you! Get well soon!

Saturday, we travelled to Canada for a wedding near Point Pelee. Beautiful Day for a wedding! It was a nice little outdoor ceremony with birds chirping and the wind blowing just enough.

In between the ceremony and the reception we had to kill some time so we drove around by the Lake and then stopped off at Shoppers Drug Mart for some water (I was parched!) Once in the store, I spotted the "Dairy" section and I started salivating for MILK. Fact: I'm addicted to skim milk! So, I gave in to my craving and bought a liter of milk and drank it all up! It was a great little treat.

We got to the reception and caught up with some friends of ours and some of Reon's old co-workers from Centerline. We enjoyed this fabulous lemon chicken and the rest of the reception with dancing, laughing and fun!

Congratulations Shawn and Charlene! <3

Sunday was more busy for Reon than myself (except for the massive grocery shopping that I embarked on!) Reon got to fulfill probably the biggest fantasy of his life. He went to South Haven (almost 3 hours away) and went racing with Classic Design Concepts' race cars. He woke up at 4:30 a.m. and got there at 7:30ish to sit in on the racer's meeting to learn all of the rules and regulations. Now, he can cross off a big To-Do off of his list of things that he wants to accomplish in his life! I am so glad he had that experience. I hope he doesn't want a race car now though!

I am going to finish the last little bit of the Pieces of Me box. Can't wait until it is done so then I can scrap my furbaby, Snowball's mini album! I already have some GREAT pictures to include.

For now, ta ta!

* New Hobby *

2007-07-12T11:15:00.000-04:00

Okay, now I know this is going to sound CRAZY but last night I was up until 4 o'clock in the morning with my new found interest: C-SPAN! I love it! It is so interesting to watch all about the process that our Congress is going through everyday. I have always been interested in Government and now I will have C-SPAN on all day long. Last night, they had hearings on the U.S. Attorneys and there was intense interrogations! Very interesting. Then the next showing was of the Passport and Visa concerns, and obviously that caught my attention. I had no idea how entertaining Politics (to this level) could be to watch. I am so enthralled I will most likely have C-SPAN on the TV all the time.... I am going to be a wealth of Political and Governmental knowledge!

Signed,
C-SPAN Junkie :-)

My New Little Project

2007-07-04T22:27:00.001-04:00

Okay I am really excited that my next scrapping adventure has started! This is my Pieces of Me box. I enjoyed scrapping the outside of the best find ever- Target $.99, complete with tabs inside! Each tab is going to showcase all of the roles that I have in my life. Here are the tabs: Daughter, Protector, Lover, Confidante, Friend, Sister, Shopper, Auntie, Entertainer, Thinker. I already have TONS of ideas to put into each one! I am psyched about the mini puzzle pieces that I bought... each tab will also have a puzzle piece that all make up ME! I'll be sure to keep posting them once they are completed.

P.S. I'll be posting a page that goes along with these soon.......

Inner Peace

2007-07-01T16:15:00.000-04:00

Wow! I never actually thought I would get to this point..... I finally feel this sort of inner piece within myself and for probably the funniest reason ever! Our pictures are FINALLY organized!!!!

This has been a task that I have been hoping to complete at every break during the school year, finally I said, "NO MORE PROCRASTINATING!" Within a few hours it was done and I can't believe how much peace I have from this completion. I am able to finally know that when a new picture is printed, it has a home! I even cut out extra organizers for the future.

Reon agreed that he won't touch the boxes (considering the last time I had them organized, he knocked over the box!) However, this was a blessing in disguise because now the pictures are sorted better and more complete.

One "to-do" crossed off my list.... finally I get to take in a deep breath... let it out with a peaceful sigh all to know that I am truly ORGANIZED!

Saturday Night Fun

2007-06-25T13:55:00.001-04:00

I can honestly say that I have never done THIS on a Saturday night before!

Laila and Lane came over for some drinks and fun! They brought a few games, Golden Tee and Cranium- Turbo Edition. As we made our drinks with Lots o' limes, we played Golden Tee. I was winning until the Rum hit me a little bit more than normal, and went from -7 to +3 at the 18th hole!

We decided to break away from the golfing game and pulled out Cranium, where we found a big ball of purple crystallized dough! That wasn't going to work and we couldn't play without it or sculpturades wouldn't be the same. So, Laila had the brilliant idea of making our own playdough; complete with green food coloring.

It actually turned out great!

We truly had a blast playing all night long where the final winners were the guys......

I guess we are going to need a rematch!

Opinions Not Welcome Unless Requested

2007-05-22T20:38:00.000-04:00

Why do people think that they are the experts on how I should live my life? Recently, it has occurred to me that many people feel that they have the right to express all of their opinions. Frankly, I am done. I'm done hearing all of the comments on how Reon and I have chosen to live out our lives. I'm done fluffing off those comments, "pretending" like the words aren't hurtful, because they are. All of this makes me wonder if people even realize how they come across.

The opinions are endless, "suggesting"; when we should have kids, when we should buy a house, when our unconditional love will change because we aren't newlyweds anymore, when I am supposed to breathe! Why is this supposedly acceptable?

In my book, it is not, "learn from my mistakes" ... it is one person's mistake is another person's opportunity. I would love if Reon and I were able to live out our opportunities.

How we choose to live out our life is a personal preference, that's why it's called PERSONAL! Life is a journey, let us live it without criticism.

Lessons Learned

2007-04-21T17:21:00.000-04:00

There's some things that I regret,

Some words I wish had gone unsaid,

Some starts,

That had some bitter endings,

Been some bad times I've been through,

Damage I cannot undo,Some things,

I wish I could do all all over again,

But it don't really matter,

Life gets that much harder,

It makes you that much stronger,

Oh, some pages turned,

Some bridges burned,

But there were,

Lessons learned.

[Chorus:]

And every tear that had to fall from my eyes,

Everyday I wondered how I'd get through the night,

Every change, life has thrown me,

I'm thankful, for every break in my heart,

I'm grateful, for every scar,

Some pages turned,Some bridges burned,

But there were lessons learned.

There's mistakes that I have made,

Some chances I just threw away,

Some roads,

I never should've taken,

Been some signs I didn't see,

Hearts that I hurt needlessly,

Some wounds,

That I wish I could have one more chance to mend,

But it don't make no difference,

The past can't be rewritten,

You get the life you're given,

Oh, some pages turned,

Some bridges burned,

But there were,

Lessons learned.

[Chorus:]

And every tear that had to fall from my eyes,

Everyday I wondered how I'd get through the night,

Every change, life has thrown me,

I'm thankful, for every break in my heart,

I'm grateful, for every scar,

Some pages turned,

Some bridges burned,

But there were lessons learned.

And all the things that break you,

Are all the things that make you strong,

You can't change the past,

Cause it's gone,

And you just gotta move on,

Because it's all,

Lessons learned.

[Chorus:]

And every tear that had to fall from my eyes,

Everyday I wondered how I'd get through the night,

Every change, life has thrown me,

I'm thankful, for every break in my heart,

I'm grateful, for every scar,

Some pages turned,

Some bridges burned,

But there were lessons learned,

Oh, some pages turned,

Some bridges burned,

But there were lessons learned,

Lessons learned.

What do you mean the Foosball table isn't a drying rack?

2007-04-12T15:20:00.000-04:00

What a nice Thursday afternoon! We were just sitting around....cleaning, catching up on laundry with (of course) Friends on in the background... when the dryer decided to break! So after trying to dry our load of laundry TWICE, I strategically placed each sock wherever I could find room. It just so happened that the Foosball table was prime makeshift drying rack! Oh, the joys of life!

Finished!

2007-04-12T13:31:00.000-04:00

I have worked very hard this week that I have had off and I have FINISHED my Honeymoon Box. It is incredible to have something finished for myself! I really love the way it all turned out, exactly the way I had imagined, and actually a little better! Here's a little Peek of it all done.

Okay, now that you saw the peek, here is the close-ups of the box additions (the rest are already shown below). Each page is scrapbooked on the back with the patterned paper from the front. It makes the whole product look more finished!

This is the first chipboard mat that you see when the box is opened. On the back I attached a pocket with our plane tickets!

I had a fun time experimenting with ghost letters. I really enjoy the simplicity of this page because the pictures speak for themselves!

There are no pictures with this "memorable event". We were awakened by the loud fire alarm at 3 a.m., it was a huge memory I couldn't leave out! This is also the first time I used Hambly Screen Prints. So much fun!

This was a neat page to do. I had a specific idea in mind for the colors and patterned paper on this LO. Where you see the teal ribbon, that is a page pull-out that slips into the beach picture pocket. Here are the two pictures for your eyes to see!

I used only ribbon to create a textured and patterned background. I really like the bright vibrant colors with this pictures, and then this simplicity of the white flowers.

Simply Perfect~ I had wanted to do a full page LO of this picture but I also had a few more pictures and some journalling I wanted to write for my Hubby. So, I used the front as a flip-up page and the next page underneath has the journalling and some more "fun" pictures. Again, here are the two perspectives:

Last but not least- the Love of my life.... It's simple but fun. Loving the colors and all the patterned paper layers!

Thanks for looking!!!!!!!! I'll post again soon!

4 a.m. and the scrapbookers mind

2007-04-07T14:54:00.000-04:00

Surprise, Surprise, It was 4 o'clock in the morning and I was up with layouts rolling around in my head! I got out of bed to jot all of the designs down... phew I captured them before I lost them!

First thing I did when I got up this morning (after I finally fell asleep) was put a hat on my unwashed hair and hurried to The Scrapbook Zone to buy the latest items to create my 4 a.m. designs! I am settling in to get started. I will post as soon as I get them done! SO EXCITED!!!

Aloha!

2007-03-18T19:17:00.000-04:00

Woohoo! I just found out that my mom and I are going to travel to Hawaii to pick up my adorable niece (photoed below). I am so excited that I finally am able to get to Hawaii. Even though it is f0r only a couple days, I know that we are going to have a blast. We are staying in Waikiki right off the beach for 3 days and 2 nights. We'll do a little sightseeing around the island, but mostly just relax and enjoy the palms swinging in the breeze.

Have to go to the gym for the next few weeks so that the premature summer clothes-wearing is a little more comfortable than they are right now! LOL

Imagining my feet in the white sandy beaches and the sun rays beaming down! Can't wait!

Scrap 'til You Drop!

2007-03-11T23:54:00.000-04:00

I have become an addict this weekend. Just enjoying the luxury of some free time. Here are a few more additions to my Honeymoon Box!

FINALLY!

2007-03-10T23:12:00.000-05:00

I never actually thought I would finally reach the day where I started scrapbooking my own stuff! It is invigorating to be able to sit down and start on my "Honeymoon Box". Even though my scrapbooking area is a MESS, it was still worth finishing my first submission of memories into the box!

Under the picture, I journaled all of the details of our itinerary on a piece of mauve vellum. Also, the h and the flower have been painted and have doodled sticker accents to tie the colors together.

I have many more sketches and am eager to get started on the next chipboard card! I better get started before Reon gets irritated with the mess! JK

Seeing Green!!!!!

2007-03-06T18:45:00.000-05:00

Well, i am just ecstatic! We got home today and received a message from our lawyer letting us know that Reon's Green Card has been approved and is on the way! I'm overjoyed and still pinching myself because it doesn't feel real, BUT IT IS! We are now climbing our way up and it feels great to know that the stress is over. The waiting is no longer and I can sit back and FINALLY relax. A million pounds has been lifted off of my shoulders. Thanks to the FBI for clearing my husband!

Pillow Obsessed!

2007-02-21T15:33:00.000-05:00

Maybe it is just me but I have a kind of sick love for pillows. Decorative, Neck, Feather, Plush, you name it I love it! You most likely will catch me cuddling up somewhere with a pillow either on my lap or at least in arms reach!

Today I bought new pillows for our bed and I can't express how excited I am about them! Just to squeeze them and see how fluffy they are makes me want to curl up and snuggle! Pillows make me so HAPPY!

2007-02-20T20:59:00.000-05:00

a piece of me...

There are a lot of roles that I play in my life, here's just one of the many pieces of me. I can't believe how lucky I am to have two adorable little munchkins in my heart. I am proud to be called Auntie Heather!

2006-11-05T20:54:00.000-05:00

This is my first blog ever! I was a reluctant starter but thanks to my dearest friend, Kristin, I am eager to get going. With the help of my husband, I am going to create a blog that represents all pieces of my personality. My goal is to find purity within my thoughts and engross myself in the art of journalling!

The best is yet to come....

The Flame in My Heart

Stanley Cup Finals GRRRR!

Week 3 Peekies

Sneaky Peeky

Summer is FUN at YMBD!

Another Mantra Song

Spring Fever

Update Catch Up -- PART 4

Update Catch Up -- PART 3

Update Catch Up -- PART 2

Update Catch Up -- PART 1

New Scraps

Happy Easter!

RAK

Totally 80's!

WTF?!?!?!

For Now, this is my Mantra:

Passport Day in the USA!

Eli the Rock Star!

Scraps, Scraps, Scraps....

A Wonderful Weekend

Scrappy Goodness (a quick summary)

Introspection

Where have I been this week?

Happy Scrappy Moments

Merry Christmas!

Snow Day 2008

Winter Fun!

In Honor and Memory of Agathe Renaud

Ultimate Fun!

November Recap!

Happiness Comes in Many Forms

Thanksgiving Recap!

Dedication

I VOTED!!

I DID IT!

It's Time!!!

My Book of Summer Fun

This Summer I....

Adventures in Dog Sitting

RIBBON!!

Song Share

This Book .........

Scrappy Days of Summer

Welcome to the Family

Some Wii Action Shots

Working On My Goals Pt2

Summer Hobby/Addiction 2008

It's Getting Closer!

A Book Review (aka Author Review)

Here We Go!

Camping, Camping and MORE camping!!

Happy Birthday To Me!!!!

Mini Book- Round 5

A Fun Contest

Somethings To Share

These Shoes Were Made For Walking....

Suite Retreat

I Want It!

*Feeling Honored*

Working On My Goals

Happy December!

I'd Agree (mostly!)

Thanksgiving Happiness

Life's Simple Pleasures

Fall Fun

Here We Go -a- Apple Picking

The Other One

Wow - That Was Fun!

BRUISED!

Speechless (but only a little bit!)

Another Racing Weekend

Jay's Update

Weekend Fun

*** New Hobby ***

My New Little Project

Inner Peace

Saturday Night Fun

Opinions Not Welcome Unless Requested

Lessons Learned

Feeling Honored

* New Hobby *