Life is Burritoful

I just want to say I am overwhelmed and blown away by the support of the people who comment on this blog. And I'm totally shocked by how many of you are all jacked up on soda and caffeine as we speak. At least I'm in good company. :)

I believe the secret to life is Mexican food. I hope and pray that when it's my time that St. Peter meets me at the gate wearing a sombrero and handing out tacos. That's my heaven. On earth, the best place I've found so far is Chipotle. We go every Sunday night. It's the day of rest and rice and beans. Everything is wonderful there, everything. Add guacamole and it's even better. If you don't live near a Chipotle, well I'd consider moving or opening your own. Really. Add a Jones soda, and life is beautiful. After it's all over though, I'll have to clean said rice and beans off the entire kitchen because J uses his hands to shovel it in. :(

We bought some movies this weekend-Madagascar and Over the Hedge. I would love to have bought Kung Fu Panda, but it's only in theaters. I can't take my 1.5 yr old, so I guess I'll have to wait. Have you seen it? Was it good? How appropriate is it for 1.5 yr old?

And I'm an awful friend. I forgot one of my best friend's birthday. So sorry sunni-j. I hope this makes up for it: (Micheal Miller Fabric Paper)



This is my latest Scribble Scrabble layout with the Baby Circus line (I think I'm going to start photographing 12 x 12 layouts on an easel, it's frustrating to get the borders straight because the layout is so heavy):



And this is just because (My Mind's Eye Paper with Cosmo Cricket letter):



Happy Monday everyone! And stay tuned, the Cosmo Cricket goodness should be arriving any minute now...

TGIF

Well, I've fallen off the wagon, again. I've started drinking soda on a regular basis, the last time was 3 years ago. Every day around 4 pm I get a craving for the sugar and the bubbly. I know how bad this is for me too. It's murder on your urinary tract, your GI tract, your teeth, and even your triglycerides, which even after 6 years of clinical practice I can't exactly explain. I think it has to do with the way the body processes all those carbs. It also leaches the hard fought calcium out of your bones, but even that's not enough to make me straighten up. So now I'm double fisting, drinking water in one hand and soda in the other, trying to negate the effects of the soda (which just makes me have to run to the ladies room). My dh tells me welcome to how the other half lives. Are most people addicted to soda/caffeine you think? I'd quit today, but the studio calico reveal is tonight. I'd quit next week, but you know I'm working on that Cosmo Cricket thing. It's always an excuse with addicts though isn't it?

My last June Studio calico layout, because I'm out of actual paper except scraps. Well, I am saving the apple paper for the Fall pictures I hope to take.



Have a great weekend everyone!
Danielle

Wednesday

Not feeling great today, I have some sort of a stomach bug. I wonder if this was the reason J was up most of the night. Sometimes I wish he could tell me what was wrong. He did tell this little girl at the library what was up though. She was so cute, little-maybe 2, had a pacifier in. She walked square up to J and pulled the pacifier out and said, "hi!". He promptly panicked and yelled "Uh-oh!" over and over again and then ran away. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing out loud and disturbing everyone in the whole library. I think he said it because he thought the little girl lost her pacifier. But I think the sentiment that girls are uh-oh, well that's just so true little man.

I got 4 alphabets in the mail from Simple Scrapbooks for winning their contest, they are so cute. I need to make my friend Janel a belated birthday card with them. Otherwise I've been playing with SC kits. I created a fusion between last month and this month:



Do you see that dimple? Cracks me up. Scenic route, Cosmo Cricket ribbon and KI buttons.

Ok, what you want to know. And there are a lot of you on here the past day, I hope you will say hi! I was shocked beyond belief to be a finalist (one of 12) for Cosmo Cricket's Design Team call. Here's the story. I sent in my email after I learned about the call like everyone else. Then I went to my stash, where I pulled out 1 piece of CC patterned paper, CC chipboard shapes and Letters, and a package of ribbon. That's it. I posted my couple layouts with CC here on my blog, not all together, but spread out like I normally do. Then I saw all the other applicant's beautiful blogs and projects, and in my head heard that door slam shut. And I made a note to self. Self, have more stuff on hand before a call (first timer). I've only been scrapping like this for about 6 months, I don't have a LSS, so the only CC I have is from Memorable Seasons or Studio Calico kits. Anyway, I shifted my energy to my friend Jen, who is super talented and really wanted a spot. I opened the tread yesterday expecting to see Jen's name, and congratulate her. Imagine my surprise to see my real name on 2 peas. It took a little while to sink in. I still keep wondering if someone else has the same name, maybe it's really not me.

That said, I applied because I love Cosmo Cricket, I think they have super cool products that I would love to work with. I believe everything happens for a reason, and I'm very excited about the wonderful opportunity that I've been given. I love a good challenge, but I'm nervous about what comes next. And of course, I placed an order for some Cosmo last night. :)

Happy Belated Birthday Janel! Hope the sun is shining on you!

Doing my part

To stimulate the ecomony this weekend. I never go shopping. I actually hate it, too many choices. My motto is make do, go without, wear it out. But, I guess you can only make do and then go without for so long. I realized this weekend that I have only one pair of shorts, the rest were from high school/college (10 yrs old). And they were looking pretty bad. I didn't own a pair of sandals. And I still didn't have a bathing suit, only the one that was about 4 sizes too small.

The 3 of us spent a great weekend together, but my dh forced me to go shopping. He insisted on it. So, I got a new pair of crocs and keens shoes (on sale 15-20% off each) at this outdoor store. I got 2 pairs of shorts at Kohls. And I finally got a bathing suit at South Moon Under. This is the suit, I wish her chest came as an add-on. :)


The bathing suit was not on sale, which 1/3 of the way through summer, I wasn't happy about. So, I'm feeling a little less like the frumpy monster ate me. Now, I'm just sort of nibbled on. :)

I worked on some projects for a guest design team position. Here are some peeks, hope I can post soon.


How was your weekend?

This

I don't have anything much to say today. I think if I could only leave one layout to my son (after being mighty upset about the time and effort I put into the rest of his album), this would be the one. It's not the most visually pleasing, it's not the scrapbooking supplies, it's that the journaling is exactly the advice I would give him throughout his whole life if I couldn't be with him. I feel much better having scrapped this, and now onto some fun pages!

Freedom

I finished my CMEs, and now I've got nothing but time. Since I had J, I have been doing something for my license. First it was CMEs while breastfeeding, then I got my CMEs audited (randomly, my number was drawn--there is no way I'll ever win the lottery, but an audit, well my odds just went up exponentially), then we moved and I had to update my information with 2 medical boards, the DEA, NCCPA, and AAPA, then there was the big re-certification test for 2 months, then it was 100 CMEs by June. Honestly, I'm feeling a little shell-shocked waiting for another shoe to drop. I don't really believe that all I have to do now is just a few CMEs per month. It feels strange. Is this how school teachers feel when summer starts?


I've been so busy fitting in scrapping where ever I can, that now I've got the time I seem to be a little unfocused. Maybe I need a new goal? I don't know. We don't have any big vacation plans due to my hubby's work schedule. I hope to visit my parents for a little bit, they live very close to the beach. And I can't visit for long, my mom has to work. She has taken a lot of vacation time to be with my grandmother since her father died.

But other than that our summer is wide open. Just me and the kid, and the uber furry one. I'm open to suggestions, let me know what you'd do, are doing, big summer plans. Maybe freedom always feels strange if you aren't used to it.

June

Things are good, really good.
Just playing with the studio calico June kit scraps:


This is how we have been spending the month-in the pool, with the hose, taking pictures/scrapping and eating yummy stuff. Maybe it's all the fresh fruit and vegetables, but summer makes me wish I was a better cook. :)

The beautiful weather is taking it's toll on my dog. He is shedding, and driving me nuts. I vacuum up the floor at least once a day, and I will normally vacuum off the couch twice a day. If someone tries to tell you pugs don't shed, they are just trying to sell you one. I wish I could think of some practical use for pug hair, I'd be a rich woman.

I feel bad for my puppy though, my son and he have decided to declare war for my attention, my lap, and general being. And I don't think the dog is winning. He is still fed, given water and taken for several long walks outside a day, but he has been dethroned as the spoiled child in our family. He is so desperate for my attention that when I sit down he dives into my lap from across the room. My how things have changed in only 18 months.

Sorry my thoughts are so random today, not enough sleep I think. I've been burning the candle at both ends scrapping and doing CME's (continuing medical education). Have to finish 100 by June 30th, one more to go. I hope, like us, you are taking full advantage of this beautiful weather!
Danielle

Happy Father's Day!

I'm lucky enough to have both a great father myself, and to have a husband who is also a great dad. Ironically though, my husband and I differ about the number of shoes that should be in our entry way. He always has about 20 pairs. Now J has at least 3, but his baby shoes(on layout)are too small. Since I can't save everything, I thought I'd put them on a page. I really would be a much bigger pack rat if it weren't for scrapbooking.


This is for my June challenge at Memorable Seasons. My Mind's Eye Paper with 29th Street embellishments.

In other news, I went to the doctor on Thursday. I've since seen 2 different providers, and been misdiagnosed by everyone, including myself. I finally redeemed myself yesterday afternoon though. As my symptoms got worse and I contemplated a trip to Urgent care or the ER, I was motivated enough to figure out what the heck was happening. Long story short, the light bulb finally went off and I realized there was a good possibility that I was having a severe allergic reaction. I immediately stopped the offending agent and started treatment with steroid cream. Within 6 hours, I was almost normal. Today I feel great. There was so much drama in all the misdiagnosis, I thought I was in an episode of House. I'm disappointed that the providers I put faith in to help me failed, at times making things much worse. I worry about non-medical persons who do not know enough to question what their health care providers say. Question everything!

Have a great Father's day everyone who stops by! Your comments mean so much to me, let me know how your day is going, K?

Spam?

I wasn't going to blog today, but clearly I've changed my mind. Made it back through traffic alive, but the trip to the dentist had it's moments. J got a great report, no cavities. But she doesn't want him to have fruit snacks (insert sound of me banging head on table). Should I throw away the layout or what?

I just got an email that I was a Fabulous Find for the May/June Simple Scrapbook Gallery and that I won the alphabet challenge (see layout). Didn't even know I entered a contest, but apparently I won (Link). The email asked for my address so that Simple Scrapbooks can send me an alphabet prize pack. I honestly thought the email was spam at first, then I assumed they had the wrong person/wrong layout/wrong something. So, clean out your spam filter, you never know what's in there!



I just finished a layout for father's day, I'll post on Sunday. I really love this layout -can't wait to share with you all. Just have to figure out how to photograph it. Have a great weekend everyone who stops by. Happy Father's day weekend to the guys!

I'm sweating the small stuff

Today, I have to psych myself up to drive to the pediatric dentist with J. To say that I'm worried is an understatement. I live in a large metropolitan city, where traffic is very unforgiving. And I don't know where I'm going. I hate driving here. I have a GPS, but it has a really bad sense of humor. It likes to drop me off on the beltway for fun.

This is a layout made with the add-on kit to SC. It is not a digital layout, rather I would say a little bit of a hybrid. I printed the text on a black background in photoshop. That's it, then I added it to the page and layered. To save ink, I drew a white box under the photo, since no one cares if it is black right? Paper and Swirl are Cosmo Cricket.



Have a great weekend! Saying a little prayer that I don't get lost.

The apple of my eye

Normally the story is on the layout.
Yesterday the story was the layout.

I finished the layout below and J woke up from his nap. I showed him this layout and he wanted to touch the apple. No biggie, I let him. Then I snuggled with him a bit, he was still sleepy. When he was ready to go get some water, I stood up and gathered up a few papers off the floor. All I heard in the other direction were Barnie Rubble feet running down the hall, and the sound of giggling. Infectious giggling. He swiped the apple. I didn't even have to look to know it was gone.

I almost didn't catch him I was laughing so hard. And I didn't take it off him either, just wanted to supervise in case he decided to eat it. (Choking hazard for sure.) Oh did we laugh. And that's really as seriously as I take all of this. :)

Good morning!

Good morning everyone who stops by. I really appreciate the support from the comments yesterday. I got through reciprocating about half, and then my photo printer decided to act up. It's like everything and everyone in my household, it does what it is supposed to most of the time but every once in a while it gets rowdy and temperamental. I hope to finish up this afternoon.

I got my studio calico June kit, and I really think I overdosed on scrapbooking stuff. Seriously, I love the add-on kit I got, but I forgot just how much stuff is in the main kit. It's hard for me to concentrate on all the wonderfulness. I started 2 layouts last night, finished this one. Journaling: "He's charming but with an inner turmoil that's always ready to blow." Doesn't that just say it all? I love, love everything October Afternoon (but then, I've seldom if ever met a scrapbooking product I didn't have to have in every color.) I did get a high off of sniffing those Vinyl thickers though??!



I mailed a layout to Memory Makers for publication in Nov/Dec issue. And I was asked to be a guest designer for a new blog. (More details after I finish my projects) I'm working on a Father's day challenge for Memorable Seasons that I'm excited about. Lots of scrapping. But I need to do lots of scrapping, last night my Mac told me I have 8000 photos. Yikes!

Hope it is bright and sunshiny where ever you are!

103 degrees (or more)

I finished a page in my Summer mini album this weekend while J was napping. My challenge at Memorable Seasons was Water, water, everywhere, scrapping your water pics. Most of the stuff on this is from Vita Bella Little Yellow Bicycle.



I don't know about your neck of the woods, but it was real hot here. The temperature was 103 on Sat. I figured that was just too hot to play in the pool, or the playground. So I decided to take J up to the local Toys R Us to get a toy I was sure he would love. He is very into anything that goes-cars, trucks, etc. So I wanted to get him this trash truck toy, it really is cuter than it sounds. Anyway, they didn't have it. Out of luck. At that point my resolve crumbled and I think J sensed that I was a little lost in what to do next. He decided to take the lead, by climbing repeatedly out of the shopping cart. I tried everything, but in the end he was loose. And I had to ditch the cart because he was so fast up and down the aisles. I finally cornered him in the battery powered like real-life cars section. He slowed down to look at them and sit in them. I tried repeatedly to carry him away, heading toward the exit. No dice, not without a major fit. I realized very quickly we weren't getting out of there without a scene. I gathered my strength and picked him up, holding him under both armpits with my arms wrapped around him while he pitched a fit. He screamed, and kicked my thighs (which are now black and blue), and flung his arms. I walked all the way from the back of the Toys R Us to the front with him like that, every person in the store stopping to stare. Yes, it was 103 degrees, but it feels like much more when your face was as red as mine. I prayed to spontaneously combust when we hit the sidewalk (didn't happen though).

I don't know when I became that woman, the one in public with a wild child that people stop what they are doing to stare at. The woman I used to think was clueless about children, I mean how else do you get in that situation right? J is only 17 mos, but he is acting like he is 2 years old already, testing every limit. Normally he is a good kid, he just isn't sleeping well and is prone to meltdowns because of it. I just don't want to be judged on my ability as a mom by the five minutes of tantrum that the world sees.

Recycling

I have a lot of emails I'm trying to catch up on, so if I owe you a reply bare with me. We had horrible T-storms, and tornadoes, and lost power from 2 pm to about 10 pm. At least a tree didn't fall on my car, this happened to a next door neighbor here yesterday. That just sucks.

This is a layout for my design team work at Memorable Seasons. I love the new My Mind's Eye Out and About line. But I have to confess, I didn't cut up the paper. I cut the advertisement on the front of the package for the layout. This is a new low in hoarding for me, to not actually cut paper, just the packaging. I prefer to think of this as the ultimate in recycling. :) I'm so in love with the colors, it's great for a little boy. The letters are Cosmo Cricket.



The card is also a recycled piece. I didn't want this K & Company glitter paper for scrapping, not with a little boy. But I liked it. And it did make a really cool thank you card for my friend Susan (she loves glitter, she will love it).



Today J and I are going to swim in the baby pool in the yard, I'm hoping for some good pics for the mini album. I'm seriously nervous wreck about the mini, and here is why. If a layout isn't going well, I finish it and move on. What do you do if the album takes a dive?

The weather is here, I wish my mini album was beautiful. . .

It's been about six years since the last time I had that Jimmy Buffet song stuck in my head. I was a student, on my surgery internship. And one of the doctors loved to play it during routine procedures-gallbladder removal, appendectomy, etc. Ah, good times.

It feels like summer is indeed here. Thank you all so much for your help with bathing suits/shopping. I've got some solid leads, maybe by next week I'll have one (if I have to order online.) But with summer coming it means saying goodbye to winter clothes, like the ones in the layout below. Gosh I'll miss those. Prima and Hambly together on here (yikes!) with some American crafts.


Made the card for my grandmother, there is no one quite like her. She talks in this little tiny voice, but swears like a sailor. Especially while she plays cards. I never make cards unless I have someone in mind to send it to. I'm just lazy that way. :)


We are having a summer mini album contest at Memorable Seasons. I'm so bad at mini albums, if you all have any advice I will gladly take it. And I'd love to see some links to cool mini albums. I'm so intimidated to start this project. But the weather is here!

Weekend

So happy my better half is home, we had a wonderful weekend. I spent part of the weekend trying to find a bathing suit so that J and I can go to the pool. What I'm finding though is that even though I lost the baby weight, I don't think things went back to the right places. That's my theory anyway. Either that or bathing suit designers labor under the delusion that we all look like Kate Moss. So for now, I'll be wearing my old suit (which is pretty obscene at this point) under a shirt and shorts in the pool. Yep, I'm going in fully clothed. J got 2 new suits due to a sale at Lands End. I'm unbelievably jealous.

When I wasn't having an attack of poor body image and self doubt, I worked on making some Scribble Scrabble projects. The card and layout feature the new Felicity line. I just love the colors.




Also, some fun sales/giveaways at the Memorable Seasons Store. The 1st week of June the sale will be 30% OFF of all stamps and Stamp Accessories. The coupon code will be: stamping The sale will go from June 1st to June 7th. There will be new sales every week this month. Also, New users who register at the store during the month of June will be entered to win a $25 gift certificate. You don't have to purchase anything, just register for the store, get the newsletter and look around. I bet you'll find something you just have to have. I always do. And that is despite the fact that I got rid of 3 garbage bags full of scrapbooking supplies last friday. Anyone have any great ideas on what to do with all my purged items? What are you doing with your old scrapping stuff? LMK.

Real quick

I will have lots of fun stuff this week I promise. I have been spending some time with my family this weekend, in addition to scrapping. I just wanted to let you know that my friend Kazan is starting a new venture and I'm very excited for her. Please visit her at 2 Sketches 4 You. Also, she is currently looking for a design team, so all you talented people who visit this blog should apply!
See you tomorrow.