Ten on Tuesday

1. Made the Catwalk at SIS today!

2. 10 more reports for work checked off my list!

3. Enjoying Pumpkin Oat Muffins I made yesterday. I modified this recipe....changing the flour to 1 c white flour, 1 c wheat flour and 1 c oats, oil to 1/3 cup canola oil and 1/3 cup applesauce and sugar to sugar in the raw. YUM!

4. Photographed this project:



It needs a different home, but I haven't decided where I want to hang it yet.

5. Honeycrisp apple...need I say more?

6. lessons on Kung Fu Panda and "Chinese tag" with "Chinese friends" from one of my kiddos

7. new knitting pattern from Ravelry

8. Fringe

9. headache and achy body all afternoon....better not be getting sick

10. to bed early

Scrapalicious

Scrapping and knitting a lot in my spare bits of time lately. Here are pages from the past couple weeks. The above page of Kellie's standard "Cheers" pose ( I have several photos of her with this pose) was a sketch from Gretchen at SIS from a few weeks ago. This next one is a lift challenge from Scrapgal.


I'm working on using up older kits. These pages mostly consist of either the Apple Orchard kit from Studio Calico or the October 2007 kit from Cocoa Daisy. Trying to free up space in my kit basket and use my stash.

Dare #112--Color


From Stephanie's journaling challenge at Studio Calico two weeks ago.


I've been playing with stitching a lot lately...in fact, I have a bit of a callous on my right thumb from stitching on a project I will post later this week. Below are Kellie and Lucy.


Another page about Miss Jessie:


I'm slowing starting to scrap some pictures from my childhood. This one is a classic of me as a toddler, refusing to eat my meat...see all of you, I've always hated meat! Blah!


Thanks for looking at my latest creations. Off to clean and grocery shop...fun, fun!

Hey Jude

It's Good to be Boss

This week is fall break for many of my kiddos and I've had kind of a weird schedule the past few days full of cancellations and changed session times. Today I had lots of cancellations. I had a rescheduled kiddo at 9:30 this morning, than I came home with no more sessions scheduled until 4:30pm. I got a lot done in the late morning and early afternoon, but I was dreading driving 45 minutes to an hour in rush hour traffic to see my 4:30 and 5:30 kids, only to return home with another 45 minute to hour drive at the end of rush hour. So, about 3:15 I decided to call and reschedule my two late afternoon kids and add them to my Saturdays for the next two weeks. In exchange for an extra hour to my schedule this Saturday and next Saturday, I got a whole afternoon and evening at home to enjoy traffic free. Luckily, Shawn was home and we were able to spend the afternoon together enjoying some quality time.

For the most part, it's been a good week full of fun surprises. Here's are few more good things from my week.

1. This arrived at my door on Tuesday:



I'm pretty excited about this new toy and can't wait to start making mini albums and other bound projects. I'm thinking I might be binding a lot of Christmas gifts this year!

2. Yesterday, I found two $5 off your $20 purchase coupons in the shopping cart I selected upon entering Fresh and Easy. This was pretty exciting as it turned my $41 grocery bill into a $31 grocery bill. Always a good thing.

3. A email with some exciting news that I shall discuss a bit later...

4. This kit and this add-on arrived today. Yeah!

5. Actually did some paperwork today and can check 9 reports of my list!

6. Another short day tomorrow, which means I might get to do some scrapping.

Birthday Fun

For my birthday yesterday, we had a little family picnic. After changing our plans a few times, we ended up heading to Woods Canyon Lake. It was a beautiful day, a bit chilly, but kind of nice to be chilly and have it feel like fall. Mom packed a picnic, complete with mini pumpkin bundt cakes with chocolate ganache. We ate, enjoyed some wine, went for a walk by the lake, shivered a bit, ate pumpkin cake, opened presents and enjoyed the day. It was a great birthday.

Here are some pictures from the day:













When we arrived home last night, I had these on my doorstep from Heather and Angie. So sweet!


Family picnic, several renditions of "Happy Birthday' on my phone, lots of calls, emails and cards in the mail, breakfast with Michelle this morning, a movie and lunch with Shawn this afternoon, crafting and dinner with Stephanie this evening.....all in all its been a wonderful 31st birthday!

Birthday Eve

Saturday's a work day for me, but this morning I was able to sleep a little later because one of my poor kiddos has chicken pox. Here's me driving to work:


It was overcast today, which made for a nice drive:


By the front door when I arrived home today...happy birthday to me:


and inside the box was this adorable bag from Jessie, made by Andrea:


I hadn't changed my office calendar until this afternoon:


My messy desk, full of in progress paperwork, billing info and some to do in Photoshop projects:


Scrapping a bit this evening and doing my new favorite thing, sewing on pages:


Strawberry milkshake to celebrate my birthday eve:


Another night with a gorgeous sunset...my photo doesn't quite capture the bold yellows and oranges:


Today:
up at 8am
shower, dressed, morning routine
cereal and berries
email, internet, chat with Shawn
off to work
drive and NPR
session with C.M.
made plans with Michelle for a birthday breakfast on Monday
stop by mom and dad's
mom tells me my pants are way too big on me, which all of my clothes pretty much are right now
go shopping in mom's closet and leave with 2 pairs of size 4 jeans and 1 pair of capri's that are too big for mom but fit me pretty well
drive to next kiddo
session with T. F.
drive and eat a few bites of my lunch
talk to Kellie
session with S.S.
drive and eat more of my lunch
session with M.P.
drive home with windows down!
arrive home to birthday package from Jessie/Andrea and a card from Erin
also in the mail is my mail in ballot for November's election
try to nap with Shawn but my head is too busy
finish scrapbook page I started last night
photograph new purse and finished page
head to my office computer to upload page and today's photos
post page and check in online
eat apple
print some things from my email
return to scrapbooking and finish another half done page and start a new one
Shawn interrupts my page to say let's get ice cream
talk to mom
Freddy's Custard for milkshakes and dinner
hang out with Shawn
surf the internet
upload photos to laptop and update blog

Eat:
cereal and berries
Kashi cereal bar
hummus, carrots, pita
apple
veggie burger
strawberry milkshake

Tonight:
hang out with Shawn
knit or scrap
read

Thoughts/Observations:
today is my last day being 30
loving the cooler weather today
wondering if we'll need to change our plans for tomorrow due to cooler weather this weekend
lots of creative ideas today
need to get some paperwork done next week
wanting to get clean up courtyard and get fall planting done in the garden
loving my Halloween decorations
should have done laundry today
need groceries
gorgeous sunsets lately
love lazy Saturday nights with Shawn
looking forward to tomorrow's birthday picnic

Friday Fun

Notes from today:
up at 7:30
shower, dressed, morning routine
cereal and berries
email
curl hair
off to work as Shawn orders my birthday gift (new bind it all!)
drive and call mom
session with M.M.
head back home
internet
spend time with Shawn, watch Cold Case
snack on challah
put away scrap stuff
cut Wilna's art for canvas
finish 52 card "Play"
cut an apple, fill water bottle and head out the door to work
drive and Science Friday on NPR
session with M.G.
check in with Mom
call from V.P. canceling A's session...chicken pox!
drive and beginning of Oliver Sacks interview on Fresh Air...need to get podcast and finish listening
meet mom for lunch at Herb Box
talk about birthday plans
drive towards Fountain Hills, listen to ipod
kill time at Target, buy eye drops and notebook, contemplate a book and John Derian items
session with N.E.
drive home, NPR, phone tag with Jessie, talk to Shawn, talk to Kellie, call in takeout
pick up dinner at Greek Pita
talk to mom
take pictures of beautiful sunset
dinner
load dishwasher
chat with Shawn
read mail
internet
upload photos
update blog

Tonight:
scrap?
chat with Jessie?
read

Eat:
cereal and berries
slice of raisin challah
apple
veggie wrap, grapes, sweet potato chips
hummus, pita, cucumbers, spanikopita

Thoughts/Observations:
I like my downtime on Friday
nice to be able to be lazy with Shawn for a couple hours this morning
excited about getting a bind it all and a (free) slice in the same month
I desperately need a pedicure!
cloudy afternoon and cooler weather (90's)
lots of project ideas running through my head
wanting time for house projects and garden clean up...maybe next weekend