Sharing a layout

Not much going on here --

had a little stomach bug

or bad mexican food

(not sure which)

but thought it would be

a great time to share some

of my art/layouts with you

:D :D :D

My kids think .....

My kids think I am the QUEEN of Super Mario Brothers (nintendo ds) -- and though I can't take all the credit (it is my nephew Cristion's game) but in a few hours (broken up into 3 days) I made it to level 8 tonight and they were estatic (sp?) -- thrilled -- AMAZED even --

If I had only known my nintendo skills would have won them over, i would have busted them out LONG ago

So today's advice -- have fun - go play with your kids - who knows what you will do today to astonish them ;)

Daily Grind

Mondays are always CATCH UP days for me -- my day to clean - do laundry - Pay Bills - and, well, catch up on any paperwork / mail that has piled up --

Today is no different in that aspect - I have a huge amount of laundry to do -- :D :D :D boy I just LOOVE laundry (that was sarcasm for those who don't know me very well)

I am also wanting to do the Snapshots album over at TSR -- (see "kits" on side bar) but i feel i am already behind. ???? who knows ???

Today i got out a Prayer Journal from last year -- it was so incredible to see how far God has brought our little family -- and though things are not perfect I know that He will perfect the work that He has started

Church was interesting yesterday -- we are doing a series on Desperate Households and yesterdays sermon was "Desperate in the Bedroom" it was full of LOTS of great especially for those who were raised with the SEX is NAUGHTY/DIRTY/SINFUL philosophy --

Artic Blast

(look VERY closely or you will miss the tiny icicles that have formed on the tree branches)

that is what the news is calling our cold weather a little over dramatic if you ask me - but SCHOOL was CLOSED today so that means the kids and I get to hang out - TOTALLY FUN - and they played barbies/GI joes for almost 2 hours without a FIGHT - can we say MIRACLE (noah would NEVER admit to playing barbies with his sister so he always uses his
GI Joe doll - i mean ACTION FIGURE)

so here is to enjoying the
ARTIC BLAST
(raising my mug of hot chocolate) :D

They say it's your

They say it's your Birthday
dunna dunna dunna dunna
Well it's my Birthday too, Yeah (not really)
dunna dunna dunna dunna

ok so I wasn't blessed in the singing
department but that doesn't mean
I love you any less ;)

Happy Birthday Babe -- Love you
more and more each year - You're
the BESTEST BESTEST Husband
in the whole wide world (trust me
-we girls - compare) YOU WIN
HANDS DOWN -- :D :D :D

LIVE in the words of MLKjr.

"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Thought this quote was great for my Ali Edwards challenge - to LIVE - that is my word -- powerful words spoke by a POWERFUL (but humble) man :D

Visions of Cheeseburgers

Visions of Cheeseburgers
that is what his sign read

and though we couldn't
give him one hundred bucks
we could run through the drive
at whataburger and get him a combo
meal

and don't get me wrong - i am not
saying this to boast - because we
really didn't do anything that special
but what i realized is that God helped
me out of my slump - He helped me
to focus on someone ELSE - and really
haven't we all wanted a burger so bad
we could taste it (at one time or another)

So I am so thankful that we happened
upon this man at the right time -I am
happy that we felt God leading us and
we acted on it (sometimes I don't) I am
happy to say that I saw the JOY in his
eyes when my husband handed him the
bag and drink (as the stop light was green)
and said GOD BLESS YOU -- maybe that
small act planted a seed :D :D

Memory

the past few days have been tough - I don't see how a TV show can stir up so many memories and emotions

Thursday - I remembered feeding my son, Aasin, for the last time - A memory that must have been trapped like an air bubble - well
below the surface of my brain - and for some reason yesterday it ascended to the top - and while one minute I was excited that i could
remember his tiny face - his lips and his nose so vividly - the next minute I was left with the - all to familiar - lump in my throat - a feeling of trying to catch my breath - and a piercing ache in my heart -

*******************************************************************
wrote the above yesterday - tough day - really tough -- Those of you who have lost loved ones know how these feelings sort of creep up on you - you do your best to think of the happy times and remember them when everything was "smooth sailing" but for some reason this memory resurfaced - most would probably wonder why this would be so upsetting but nursing my son in the moving car that day over 10 years ago would become my biggest regret - a moment that would change me forever -

and though i felt better once my words were typed I saved the above portion as a draft not knowing if i would share it or not - but today i realized that YES I would post it - I want to remember this - this MEMORY - of my son - sometimes I feel like I can't hear his little chuckle anymore - I can't visualize his smile- but thursday for a few seconds I felt as though I was watching a recording of him - of a precise moment that we shared on the last day of his short life - So maybe this post will help me hang on to this memory --

ONE little Word Challenge

I am participating in Ali Edwards' One little word Challenge

My word for this year is LIVE -This year I want to REALLY LIVE for Christ and for my FAMILY and even for ME some too!

I am going to try to focus on all of my BLESSINGS -and I am going to LIVE everyday without regret or worry - or the "what if's" the "shoulda's" and even the "if only's" - This year I want to get closer to the person GOD has planned - for me to be -- this year I am going to LIVE

here is a quote I borrowed from Steph's blog -you can see her lovely art work here

http://homegrownhospitality.typepad.com/homegrown_hospitality/2007/01/a_good_way_to_s.html
"Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. Think only of the best, work only for the best, and expect only the best. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievement of the future. Give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. Live in the faith that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you. "

Christian B. Larson

It is a NEW YEAR

well as you can see I took a break from blogging over the holidays - it was great to just relax (after the CrAzYneSS of Christmas GIFT making of course) but today I stepped back into the real world - the kids had to go back to school :( and I had to go back to work :( :( I really enjoyed being home - I think heath enjoyed the benefits of that as well -

I can't believe it is 2007 - where has the time gone -- I AM GETTING OLDER -- CraPola -- I have so got to get in better shape -- the past few years I have packed on the pounds -- and I am not talking 10, 15, or even 20 -- this is SERIOUS -- very unhealthy -- so of course i - like everyone else made a commitment (i refuse to call it a resolution - i just hate those - i can never keep them) to get healthy -- but wait i am jumping ahead of myself

FIRST COMMITMENT
1. read my bible DAILY (i will do great with this and then somewhere in the busy ness of life i put it on the back burner)

2. work out 5 days per week -- I would like to make this everyday but really who are we kidding here - and eat better - (i kind of lumped these two together)

3. Be a Better WIFE -- work on my nagging -- seriously sometimes i can't stand to hear MYSELF

4. Be a Better MOTHER -- do more things with the kids that THEY want to do - not just the things that i am WILLING to do -- play with them without being asked to - spent one on one time with each child daily

5. Be more ORGANIZED -- don't laugh - but i used to feel like a PRO in this area but for the past 2 years I have really fell off the wagon -- COME ON SHAWNNA GET IT TOGETHER :D

ok -- so those are my commitments/goals -- but they are NOT - i repeat - NOT - frEaKin ReSoLutionS :D