Kites and Teaching

In our Algebra with Applications classes (a 2-year algebra course) we make tetrahedron kites the week before studying for exams. I have so much fun with the kids on flying days. I did a layout that will be in the MM 502 Layouts book (now renamed) from pictures I took last year with the kids. I was having such a hard time last spring with my dad being in a nursing home, and didn't know if emotionally I could make it through the end of the school year. Then we went out flying kites and I realized that I was laughing, for the first time in months.

So here are some pictures of this year's kite flying. It was kind of a crappy day to fly, but we had fun! I'm going to miss these guys! I love them all!

Progress on Deadlines

I'm not gonna lie, I'm starting to get depressed that the long weekend is over tomorrow. You see, I was practicing summer break (I'm a teacher), and I had FUN! The only problem is I have to go back to school on Tuesday for two more weeks. BLAH! Having to put on shorts because it's 93 degrees didn't help my mood at all . . . 10 lbs heavier in the last month will hurt the old psyche!

Anyhoo: Here is what I got done.

1. Scrap Muse - finished 5 layouts. NEED TO WRITE AN ARTICLE.
2. KMA - finished 2 layouts. NEED TO DO A CARD AND ONE MORE LAYOUT. I have time on this one.
3. Provocraft - finished 3 projects. ONE MORE TO GO.
4. DCWV - finished nothing. Need to do another tin album.

I also need to package a layout for ST to be sent on Tuesday. So I accomplished A LOT. I feel good. There were a lot of deadlines hanging over my head at the beginning of the weekend.

Deadlines for Days, and summer goals

So I have a four-day weekend this weekend (HURRAY!!!!!) and I have nothing planned. What could be better? I'm calling it a practice run for the summer. Have I mentioned that I'm a serious fan of summer? After a year of teaching and the cold Michigan winters, it is such a blessing. So what am I doing scrap-related? MEETING DEADLINES. Here's what I have to do:

1. 3 more projects and 1 article for SM. (Did 2 already)
2. 4 projects for ProvoCraft
3. 1 layout, 1 card for KMA (Did 2 already)
4. 1 tin album for DCWV

All of this needs to be done so I can scrap for myself. Good thing I'm pretty fast, eh?

And while I'm on the topic of summer vaca (have I mentioned that I'm a fan of summer vaca?) here are some things I want to be sure to accomplish:

1. A Big PIcture Scrapbooking class (any suggestions?)
2. A photography class so I can use more of the settings on my camera (either online or in person)
3. Jenna in dance lessons.
4. Jenna in swim lessons.
5. I want to get back into Yoga. I need to investigate where I can do this this summer.

That's all that's on my mind today, although I'm on pracice summer break, so that means I'm not thinking much at all! LOL

The saga continues . . .

If you read about my really CRAPPY day a few weeks ago, you noticed I mentioned having poison ivy. Or what seemed to be poison ivy. I went to the Dr. two weeks ago and I showed him a strange rash on my neck. He mentioned he THOUGHT it may be poison ivy, but wasn't sure. He prescribed prednisone just in case. Well it spread to my face. GOOD TIMES. If I looked bad before, well, double ugh once it hit my mug. So I went back to the Dr. and got the Dr. on call. He was sure it was poison ivy, and prescribed a higher dose of prednisone, and a cream for the itch. The prednisone made my heart race, and that was it.

Well, two weeks later and the rash continues to spread. And it itches SO BADLY I can hardly sleep. I finally hit my breaking point in the middle of the night . . . I just can't take the itch ANY MORE. And if it was poison ivy, how can it still be spreading? (Contrary to popular belief, it doesn't spread from scratching, it's from the plant oils.) So I called the Dr. (the first one who wasn't convinced it was poison ivy in the first place) and went back in today. (Thank goodness for insurance!) He is SURE it was not poison ivy after all, but hives due to an allergic reaction. I asked him he better give me some valium because I was going CRAZY from the itching. The funny thing is he agreed! LOL. I turned it down, but I'm not going to lie, if I keep itching like this I may just take him up on it! So two antihistimines later, hopefully this clears up. If not, mood-altering drugs, here I come!!!

Two more weeks of school left . . . but who's counting? Next week we'll review for exams, then three exam days before GLORIOUS FREEDOM! I love my job . . . I can't imagine doing anything else. But I love my summers. Sleeping in, going to the water parks, picnics, weekend vacations at the lake . . . what could be better?

My (other) Girls

I took some photos of a few of my girls today. These were my students back in 7th grade, and I'm lucky enough to have them again in high school. We go way back! I love this picture of the two of them!

My Funny Girl: PAD #15, and #20

Sometimes it's hard to keep a straight face with this one. And since I've been in a low mood for TOO LONG, I made a few funnies. I'm back in the PAD, baby!

Scrap Muse May Kit . . .

ROCKED! I am always slightly afraid of the Junkitz papers . . . they are gorgeous, but they intimidate me a bit. But working with them this month again has renewed the love!

I'm a PAD dropout

And I'm so mad at myself! I really wanted to follow through with this, but life has just gotten in the way. The good news is I finished (and sent) a lot of projects that have been BUGGING me because I've been procrastinating. Here's what I accomplished.

1. A super secret project that I'm not at liberty to discuss. ;)
2. A mini tin-album for DCWV
3. Two assignments for Cantata (dropped in mail yesterday)
4. My card (final project) for KMA for May (sent yesterday as well)
5. I also sent a RAK to the winner of my challenge at KMA on NSD.
6. Submitting . . . I have not submitted anything seriously since the end of last summer. So slowly but surely I'm catching up, and trying to rebuild my ScrapBio. Yikes, this is a lot of work!

So for May, I'm all caught up. WHEW. Maybe tomorrow I can make another PAD layout. Or maybe not . . . maybe I need a break! Who knows?

Mother's Day and PAD #14

So today was a MUCH better day, although where could I possibly go but up? Rash still present and driving me crazy, but other than that, life is good. I did a layout with a photo I took today of my girls, reflecting on their differences. I was one of those people who was afraid of having another baby because I couldn't possibly love another child as much as I love Emily. WRONG! I love them both. Beyond measure. Happy Mother's Day, everyone!

Is this karma?

It was an ugly week last week, and frankly I need to whine. To start with, it's such a stressful time of year at school. The kids REALLY don't want to be there, so it's like pulling teeth to get them to do anything. Add to that rain for four days straight, and frighteningly cold temps, and you're getting a pretty good idea of the fun.

Bill was extremely busy this week, and gone almost every evening. Plus his beloved aunt had a mild stroke, and in his free time he was understandably at the hospital to visit her and his uncle. Em was home, in her "I'm back from college and don't feel like putting away my dormroom stuff" glory. To be fair, she got it done on Wednesday (after a few harsh words from me.) It's messy again, but for about 30 minutes, it was good!

Fast forward to Thursday, when I started to feel itchy around my neck and under my chin. What the heck? It bugged me all day at school, and finally it hit me. The night before when Jen was playing on the swingset I pulled a few weeds. Was it poison ivy? I've never had it before, but I'm not exactly "outdoorsy" so who knows? So off to the Dr. I went after school. I called Em to make sure she would be home to watch Jen for a few while I went to the Dr, and BTW, could she throw the chicken in the oven for dinner? When I got home to drop off Jen, I noticed a strong, (think dead carcass) smell in the house. The chicken (that I had just purchased the night before) was BAD. Great. Off to the Dr., and no dinner when I get home. There goes that "Mother of the Year" award!

So the Dr. isn't really sure if it's poison ivy. But he gives me Prednisone. WHATEVAH. So home I go to a Lean Cuisine. And I'm just not feeling well at all. (itch itch, scratch scratch.) By Friday morning, the rash has deepened into welts on my neck, and burning hot under my chin. You can imagine, I'm looking FINE at this point. So off to school I go. And during first hour, I write ALL OVER the front of my FAVORITE hoodie. It looks ridiculous. I would explain how I did it, but it's so involved, and SO ME. So at lunch I run home, through the rain and cold, to change.

On my way back to school I GET PULLED OVER. Right in front of the school. Can you say "HUMILIATION?" As if the plague of a rash wasn't embarrassing enough. Turns out my registration sticker is not up to date. And that's because in December when I got it I tried to put it on the plate when the plate was dirty and it wouldn't stick. So I had the dang thing in my glovebox, so the officer let me go. He was so kind, thankfully.

So I get back to school, and I'm rattled. The rash, the arctic temps, the run in with the law . . . what's next? An email from Emily saying she thinks the reason the chicken was rotten was because the refrigerator was truned off AGAIN by the ever popular, Little Miss Mischief, Jenna Lou. Last time it was the freezer downstairs. This time, the fridge upstairs. Will the fun never end?

I almost cried. And that is just unlike me. Totally unlike me, as a matter of fact. Stupid little things happen to me all the time, and I've learned to laugh at them. But this was just too much. I ended up falling asleep on the couch at 6:00 last night, and got up only long enough to drag my sorry behind up to bed.

Today? Better? Well I got a major project done, so that's a load off my mind. I still itch, and the rash is spreading to my face. This should be a good time. Believe it or not, there were a few more catastrophes, but I want to cry again, so I'll leave them for tomorrow.

Is this karma? What on earth have I done?

PAD 12, 13

I'm still in this . . . barely! Here are my two latest. It has been a long and ugly week. Seriously. So I'm proud I'm still in this thing!

PAD 9, 10, 11

These are my two for the last three days. I'm so behind!!!! The third is posted on KMA.

PAD: Day 8

Here is an DT layout for KMA using AMM. Jenna thinks "Smoochy Head" is a swear word, so she'll say, "Hey Smoochy Head" and laugh uncontrollably. She's such a character, I tell ya!

Fave photos from today

I went to a local Garden today with Jami (my SIL) and my two nieces. We spent the morning playing with our cameras. What could be more fun? Here are my faves for the day:

Finding Treasures

As the youngest of four, there weren't a lot of pictures of me growing up. You know the story, my parents probably felt "been there, done that . . . just too busy." But I am such a sentimental old fool . . . and I pour over pictures almost every time I'm with them. Well my dad has been, well, obsessed is the only word I can think of that fits, with an old box of slides and a slide projector my sister's friend snagged from storage from a college. And there are TONS of slides with pictures of me and my bro, growing up. BONUS. I am excited beyond belief. So I am going to help him organize them, and make prints on my brand new scanner which SCANS SLIDES. Life is good.

Day 7: PAD Challenge

Here is the latest, using Sassafras Lass papers. TFL!

Day 6: Page a Day Challenge

Here it is! A super quick and simple page.

Day 5: Page a Day Challenge

I DID IT! Another day with a layout. It's not my best work, but I think it's cute!

Day 4 - Page a Day Challenge

Another page using Rhonna Ferrar's amazing line!

Day 3: Layout a Day Challenge

I DID IT! I was so stinkin' busy today, so I did a super quick and easy layout. LOVE this new line from Making Memories! I did this for KMA {DT}. Scan is really bad . . . this new scanner is taking me a while to figure out. LONG STORY. Here it is:

Day 2: Layout a Day Challenge

Here is another layout for this challenge. I am really hoping to stick with this, because I have not had any time to scrap for myself/submit anything. Since SS went down, I haven't even attempted to submit, and was behind anyways. This gives me just the boost I needed!

Page a Day Challenge: Day 1

Here is my first layout for this challenge. Tomorrow should be interesting as I'll be gone all afternoon/evening moving Emily out of her dorm. It's OK, I'm excited to have her back!

Here are some of my own personal challenges for this month. Here are five off the top of my head. I'll post more when I think of them!

1) A "freestyle" type layout (DONE!)
2) A digital layout
3) A non-picture layout
4) Something about me (blech . . . that's hard)
5) A layout using Chatterbox
6) A layout about my cats
7) An effer dare
8) Something KI (now that should be tough!)
9) A sketch of some sort
10) The new BoHo Chic stuff . . . MUST HAVE NOW!!!!

Senior moment, perhaps?

See, I was busting a gut trying to get my SM projects done by the deadline, which I thought was May 1. Why? Who knows. I'm notorious for messing up the dates. So I worked on and off, and got four of the five done . . . and while posting one of them for he DT to see, I read the post with the deadlines. MAY 7. No kidding. What a dunce. But the good news is I only have one more project to do by the 7th!

I also finished my PC projects. WHEW. It feels good when you can cross something off the old "TO DO" list. Now it's work on the KMA deadlines, which I can't do until my box arrives.

So silly me, I signed up for the page a day challenge at SM. Like I will have the time to do a page a day in May? Who am I kidding? But I thought it may be incentive to try some new things, and even scrap outside of my normal deadlines. On my busy days, I will use the 4 layouts that are close to completion for my daily layout. Cheating? You decide. I'm good with it.
Also, some layouts will have to be deadlinne layouts, which I may not be able to post. Maybe I will link to them.

Then I thought I would challenge myself: maybe try some digital, use products that I haven't used (and are making me feel guilty about every time I see them.) I'm going to make a list of prompts/challenges for myself, and see what I can do. Wish me luck.

Also, anyone who is free on Saturday, I'll be chatting on KMA for NSD. I need to work up some challenges, and I'll present a home decor project, as will the other DT members. There are some REALLY COOL PROJECTS, so come and visit! Let me know if you have any questions!