christmas

:: Rode 5 miles on my bike next to Chris the runner...

:: Passed a house that had TWO Christmas trees already set up in their window, along with a "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" lighted sign in their front yard. I'M SORRY, WHAT!!!??!?! We just had Halloween. Thanksgiving is still days and days away. Big big pet peeve.

:: Received my photo order from Winkflash today!!! Very exciting times. 146 photos...and only just now did I realize that it should have been 171 photos. Oops. I had trouble with the uploader, and didn't really check things before placing the order. Looks like 26 pics didn't load up. Excited to get the pics organized and into my "to scrapbook" photo album.

:: Also received my envelopes today for our Christmas cards...though we still aren't sure where we're going to take our pics. I've been calling the place we want to use but can't get ahold of them.

:: ALSO received today (yes, it was like Christmas, but without the trees and Jesus is the Reason for the Season sign!!) another goodie order...a few items for my secret scrapbook santa, as well as 4 more scrapbook albums for my 240 2009 layouts. Still waiting on the page protectors, maybe tomorrow. I always have to buy them from separate places because the place I get the albums is always out of the protectors. Annoying! But, excited to get the pages into place.

:: I am ty-red...or "tired" for you normal folks. Think I'll call it a night...

quickie

:: Bunko this evening! I did not do so well...was second from last...but I came home with a great prize...my own :) Which was my plan, so I'm a happy girl. I took the most adorable owl/bird rub ons...loved them so! Sorry, Granny...they were too cute to pass up! Now I need to figure out how to use them. Kim's mother-in-law played with us, that was fun...it was good to see her, she's such a sweet, sweet lady...

:: Somewhat crazy day at work, but turned out well.

:: Going to have to start getting my allergy shot every week (instead of every other week) from now until December probably. My doctor told me that October - December is my bad zone with allergies, and if I started feeling like every other week wasn't working, I could up it. I've been sneezing and snotty and just a mess. So, there I go.

:: Been gone all evening, so want to veg a bit...bye for now...

mucho progress and new goal

This, my friends, is one year's worth of scrapbook progress:



This is 223 of my 240 goal for the year. I will reach my goal most likely at the November crop in a few weeks. 223 pages. This pile stands 9 inches tall. This is the most pages I have completed in one year since I've begun scrapping. I'm thrilled!

What are my thoughts on the year?

I feel as though I have completely delved into my style, embraced what I like and discarded what I don't want or need. I feel as though I have stretched a bit and have paired certain things that aren't necessarily matchy-matchy but still ended up working in the end. Sometimes quite well! I also feel like I have loosened up quite a bit on stressing over the layout, debating should I do this, should I do that...all that indecision just takes up so much time, and working so fast really helped me to just go with my instinct and not worry so much.

Very happy with 2009.

Over the weekend, I had an idea about what I'd like to concentrate on in 2010. A new goal, if you will. 2010 will have a focus on journaling. Real journaling. More stories and not as much fluff.

Currently, journaling is more of an afterthought for me. If I've incorporated a journal tag, I come up with something little to write and move on. It's all positive and rosy and paints a picture of one aspect of our life.

In 2010, I want to focus on more "real" journaling. I want to give words more of a thought in the planning process, so that I tell more stories, remember more, invite more levels of our life together into the memory process. Trials of a teenage girl...trials of parents with a teenage girl...things about my relationship with my dad...ways we've changed and grown as individuals and as a family. Not just details of an event but stories from the event. More depth. More levels.

I am excited to see what comes of this...

For now, for the rest of 2009, I have seventeen more layouts to accomplish. Piece-o-cake...

another monday in the books

:: Loved waking up this morning at 6:15 with the sun already coming in the windows. It was so much easier to wake up!!

:: Starting pulling all of the layouts I have done in 2009 last night. It is quite a large pile. 240 layouts is no small feat, I guess. Looking at the pile makes me feel like I have definitely accomplished something this year. Speedy speedy!! I feel like as I have concentrated on getting things done this year, I have really come into my solid style. I feel like I am very comfortable with where my pages are going. And now I am working on what my goal is going to be for 2010. A bit of a change of thought. Not necessarily in process, but it may slow the process just a bit. And I am okay with that. More to come on that closer to 2010...

:: Watched "You, Me & Dupree" last night while I pulled layouts. That is one of those that I can watch over and over. I am out of "Friends" episodes and need to stock back up on my DVR. That is my go-to show when I don't necessarily want to pay close attention, because I know them all by heart!

:: Baked chicken breasts, steamed broccoli and cauliflower, and red potatoes for dinner tonight. Yum. And pomegranates. Why are pomegranates so time consuming and messy to prepare? But oh so delish.

:: Coming to terms with not getting that house...because if I'm honest, I was really starting to get to the point of hoping someone would actually put an offer on the house. Because it was like I could feel it coming, knew it was going to happen, and felt like I was wasting time picking stuff out for the house...and with the builders making some decisions on their own and us not really liking what they were doing, it was really starting to become a house that wasn't even what we were wanting. Couldn't really choose the stuff we really wanted, and it was becoming more a "house" than "our house". So, it's all good.

:: Time to enjoy the evening...

lots to report

:: Well, first things first...an update on our house situation. We received a phone call today from our realtor. The builders of the house we want to buy received another contract on it today. Which gives us 24 hours to decide if we want to give it up or if we want to buy it without selling our house. Obviously, that second scenario is not an option for us. So we say goodbye to that house. House #2 that was sold out from under us while our own dang house sits on the market drawing no interest. Where do we go from here? Don't know.

:: I hope you all had a safe Halloween weekend!! Aspen went to an 8th grade party and had a great time. She wanted to wear my 80's outfit and looked really cute. Below are some comparison pics of Aspen and me:


She didn't quite get the concept of the side ponytail...but it was crimped!

Fun stuff...I still can't believe the outfit fit us both. She's a twig.

Aspen and her BFF Bailey...I am proud of these two girls. It seems like 8th grade was the beginning of all the girls wanting to wear the "slutty" costumes...the naughty nurse...the naughty bumble bee...the naughty Dorothy from Oz. Costumes showing lots of leg, some clevage, and butt. Aspen and Bailey were not at all into that and were completely covered. Good girls! I'm sure it's only a matter of time though. Seems that most women take the opportunity of Halloween to dress a little risky.

:: Watched the New York marathon with friends this morning, and we were really bummed that Ryan Hall did not win. But very excited that the USA finally won...we haven't won NY since 1982!!!!

:: This coming weekend, we are heading to Dallas for the first in a row of qualifying Cross Country meets...if Aspen runs well enough here, she'll be moving on to the next race, which is November 21. One race at a time. Chris has been working with her every evening, and she's running well. Fingers crossed! While in Dallas, we will be making a pit stop at Whole Foods! I am taking my cooler with me and we are stocking up!!!

:: Spent some time at Hobby Lobby this weekend, per Chris' request. Yes, you read that right!! He wanted to find some decorations for his newly renovated office, and we were able to find him a few goodies. Also bought myself an incredibly cute frame, will post a pic once I decide what photo to put in it. I love it! Bought a few other goodies for my secret scrapbook girl...

:: Also did a little online shopping...a few other goodies for my secret girl, and bought 4 more American Crafts albums and page protectors while I was at it. Once I reach my goal of 240 layouts for the year, I need somewhere to put them all!!! Four albums will do the job. Also finally placed my Winkflash order for around 175 photos...can't wait to get those in the mail!!! So, it should be a fun week of receiving packages...love that!

:: That's all I've got...need to finish laundry and head to the grocery store...

thursday's topics

:: Just another day in paradise here...woke up this morning to weather that is pretty darn cold. It's been chilly lately but has been warming up in the afternoons. Not today. Cold all day. Makes me want to just snuggle up on the couch with a blanket, a book, my Ocho, and Chris...

:: Making some bison burgers tonight for dinner. Can't wait for those, mmmmm. Have you ever had bison? It's delish!

:: Found out that the New Moon movie doesn't come out until Nov. 20. I was thinking it was the 11th for some reason. So that is the day before we leave for St. Louis, and we'll most likely be in Dallas. We'll be waiting until we are back from our trip to go and see the movie with Ms. Kim...can't wait!

:: Tomorrow is our Halloween luncheon at work. It's always fun to see what everyone dresses up as. We also do a pumpkin carving contest. Our newbie Kathy did our department's and it is pretty cute. Should be a fun day for sure...(and no, I'm not dressing up...I typically don't...)

:: I'm ordering some photos from Winkflash because they have a good sale going on right now. It's taking awhile to upload all my pics though. Could have to do it in batches.

:: What are you being for Halloween??

nothing too exciting

:: Today, Ocho had an appointment at the vet's office for his annual rabies shot. While there, we made full use of our time. I took in a sample of Ocho's urine for Dr. Bolt to examine, since it should be around a ph 7 to prevent kidney stones. It came back as a 6.5, which the vet was pleased with. I also picked up a new batch of Ocho's special UD food. And speaking of food...I may have mentioned this, but for the three years we've had Ocho, he has been a very finicky eater. We tried all different kinds of foods and nothing worked. Well, since his stones were removed, he's been scarfing his food down. My theory is that he had those stones for most of his life and they made eating uncomfortable for him. Now that they are gone, he is all about eating. So, right after the stones were removed, he weighed 8 pounds. In the two months since then, he now weighs 11.7!!!!! Whew. Little chunker! For a chihuahua, that's quite a lot of weight in a small amount of time. He still looks lean and slim, and the vet said the weight if fine. He doesn't want it to go up any though.

:: Work was even-keeled today...

:: Closed out our LLC business checking account today. I never realized it would take so much effort to close out our little company. I still have a checklist full of stuff to take care of, most of which I don't understand. Which is why I wanted to close the business in the first place...there is so much to running even a tiny business that is way over my head. I just don't think like that. If you've ever closed out a LLC, help!!!

:: Rode 6 miles today while Chris ran...then made pancakes and scrambled eggs for dinner. Tomorrow night, bison burgers! Yummmm!

a day's worth

:: Left work early today for a doctor's appointment. Had a little LEEP surgery awhile back and have had to go back every three months, then every six months, for checkups. Now, I go back in seven months and then I'm back to an annual appointment thankfully. I get my results next week, hopefully all looks well.

:: Waited for an hour and a half to get into the doctor, and it took him five minutes to do the procedure. What a waste!!! Got out of there around 4:45, and decided to run some errands. I picked up a birthday gift for a coworker, and then headed to Michaels and Hobby Lobby to begin shopping for my scrapbook secret santa. You can fill your container with a lot more stuff if you find it on sale! So I plan on frequently those two places to see what the sales are. I am beyond excited about the container I found for my girl!!!!!!!!!! We have a $20 spending limit on the scrapbook goodies that go inside, but then the container is in addition to that. I can't wait to give it to her...

:: I also started some of my other Christmas shopping!!!! Woot woot!! Kim was telling me yesterday that she is well on her way with hers, and I thought to myself, Good golly, get on the ball girl!! So, I got two people done this evening, and started on one other. I feel much better now!

:: Reading two chapters this evening for my book study tomorrow...

:: Watched SYTYCD...thought there were some really great dances tonight. I was so ticked off that they voted Russell into the bottom two guys. WHAT???? If they had voted him off, I would have been livid. LIVID! I really love him, to be a crumper he sure pulls off the other styles extremely well. He's my early favorite, I loved him all through auditions. I don't know the rest too well yet, so we shall see...

:: Aspen is sound asleep on the floor behind me...she must be going through a growing spurt, because she is napping all the time. She is almost as tall as me. And she tried on my 80s costume and it fit her. How is that possible?? She's going to wear it for Halloween, it will be fun to compare pics of her and me in the costume! She just finished reading, "Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas" by James Patterson (yes, the one that somehow is BELOW her reading level even though it's an adult book???)...the ending took her off guard and she just cried and cried.

:: Ocho goes to the vet tomorrow for his rabies shot...and will also have the vet test his urine ph level. His new food and stone pills seem to be working well. Hopefully no more stones ever!!!!

Gotta read...

monday monday

:: Answer me this...how can Aspen be reading one of my books, an adult book, and the teacher tell her that it is below her reading level and she can't take an AR test on it???? It's an adult book! By James Patterson! What the heck? That makes absolutely zero sense to me.

:: I think we've determined the location we'd like to use for our annual photo shoot with the Halfmanns...I'm calling them tomorrow to see if we can take pictures there. Also, not sure how it will look with everything not so green. More fall colors. Now to determine what we are going to wear. Hmmmm. Any ideas?

:: Trying to figure out a design for our Christmas cards this year...one of my favorite parts of the year!!!

:: So You Think You Can Dance Top 20 starts tonight and I am so very excited!!

:: Aspen thinks she wants to be an 80s girl for Halloween...using my costume that I wore to our 80s party a few years ago. We'll see if the stuff fits her.

:: Had a delightful lunch with Ms. Kim today at Subway...it's always a treat to spend an hour chatting with her.

:: Big Salads for dinner tonight...I better get in there and start chopping everything up!

another baber weekend

:: Hung out with Chris and Aspen on Friday evening...had delicious pizza at Zookini's...picked up some things at Target...they enjoyed some Coldstone ice cream. I'm not a fan, so I was going to get a smoothie. I'm not sure why, but I can never get a smoothie there. The one time I did, it took the worker seriously 15 minutes to make it. This Friday, they told me that they were out of ice and couldn't make it. Whatever!!

:: I bought my 2010 calendar and started filling it in. One of my favorite things to do! :)

:: Saturday morning, Chris and Aspen ran quite early...were home by 9:00. They returned with La Popular burritos, what a nice thing to wake up to! MMM mmmm. We downloaded some songs, read some books, and spent some time on Facebook. Then had lunch at Taco Bueno and went to meet Rolando/Ana/family for Blizzards and a trip to the park. Slightly chilly and pretty windy, but the kids had fun running around.

:: Chris, Aspen, and I had a movie night Saturday night...rented "Year One" and "P.S. I Love You." All three of us agreed that "Year One" was a complete waste of time. Not good at all, and not funny. Very disappointed. We did enjoy "P.S. I Love You." It was very sad in some parts, but I thought it was pretty good. I had read the book awhile back, and from what I could tell, they stayed pretty true to the story. I wanted to rent "The Proposal" but Blockbuster was out of all 30 dvds they had.

:: I've been asked to take some soccer team photos on Tuesday, for two different teams. That should be a nice chunk of spending money for me...maybe enough to get the Coach purse I've been wanting :)

hodge podge

:: Crazy day at work, things going on all over the place...I was happy to walk out to my car at 5:30...

:: Had my second book study at lunch today, on the Losing Control & Liking It book. There is a lot of good stuff in that book, the hard part is putting it to use. Something to work on every single day.

:: I'm reading "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle", recommended by my mom. So far, I am finding it to be a pretty slow read. I was excited in one of the early chapters because it was from the dog's point of view, and I thought that was really interesting. That was the only time though. I am hoping that the more I get into the book, it will show up some more.

:: Rode 6 miles on my bike after work, next to Runner Chris...it was chilly out there.

:: Nothing planned for this weekend...I'm looking forward to relaxing...

:: I have 223 / 240 scrapbook pages completed on my yearly goal! Woo hoo!!!! Two more months to get the rest done, no sweat. I am the quickest scrapper in the West! :)

:: Think I will go and watch Glee...I wasn't able to watch last night...

district cross country champion

Aspen is the 8th grade cross country champion!!! She can now add that to her 7th grade cross country win, and call her junior high career a major success!!

We drove to Breckenridge, which was a little over an hour away...the sky was gray and then it began to sprinkle...by the time the 8th grade girls started their race, it was pouring down rain.

Aspen ran like it was a spring day, crisp and clear and blue skies...the rain didn't slow her down one bit. She even knocked a lot of time of her time from last year...she's a machine!

So, they took off...here she is coming down the starting stretch...



Those two girls in blue/red stayed with her for just a little bit...one fell off about a half mile into the race, and the other one stayed until about 3/4 into the first mile (it was a two mile race).

Mid race...looking calm, running a great pace, and already with quite a large lead.

Mid race, with "coach" running beside her for a few strides of encouragement...

Finishing strong on the finishing stretch...the second place girl was at least a full minute behind her...Aspen sprinted in for her win!

Ha! Did I mention that it was pouring down rain? Click on this picture to enlarge it, it shows the rain pretty well. A nasty miserable weather day. This is right after she stopped running, in the finish shoot.

Aspen and Chris...so proud! Chris has really been working with her, since she stopped going to Coach Art. She is getting one-on-one training now, and focusing on the things that she needs to be focused on. It's working out very well...

We stopped on the way home to get her some flowers and a Congrats card...they were waiting on her when she got home from the busride...a very proud moment in Aspen's life! We are so happy for her, and know that she can accomplish big things if she keeps after it...

Congrats to our District Champ!!!

oh so very very happy

Why?

Because I am off work tomorrow! So excited. I am going to sleep just a little late, but not too late. Don't want to waste my day away. I want to do some scrapbooking, I think...that and get some photos ready for printing at Winkflash. Whatever my little heart desires. And then at 2:00ish Chris and I are going to leave for the District Cross Country race.

Aspen was the District Champ in 7th grade...we are hoping for a repeat in 8th. I know she can do it! We are excited to watch the race...

May you all have a wonderful day at work tomorrow...I'll be thinking of you while I'm in my pjs having fun!!

a big post of randomness

I have a random plethera to post today...let's dive right in...

I've been thinking of things for my Christmas wish list this year...I have come up with a few so far...these slippers to keep my tootsies warm in the winter in that pretty camel color...this book...this cd...this workout video...and of course, the Coach purse I've been wanting...I'm jotting it all down, just in case :)

Had to share this adorable picture of my grandma Flo with her new great-granddaughter Jaci...thought it was the sweetest photo!!!



This is a sight we've been seeing a whole lot more of lately...

Yes, that is Aspen reading. A book! And not even for school. Reading for fun! Rereading a book she's already read because she loved it so much. Ahhhhhh. Love it.

And this taunted our animals last week:

Stupid gray cat with a stub tail!!! Foster would have eaten it in one chomp if it had been brave enough to set foot on grass...

And below is a familiar sight around here...me organizing photos...something I love to do! I had cracked open the box of my childhood photos to pull a few to scrap on Saturday. Decided they really needed to be organized...

And Mom...these next four I need help with...any idea how old I am in the photos? What year they were taken? Probably too much to expect you to remember the date!! :) Any help would be great. I had a lot of fun scrapping these...I was such a cutie!!! :)

Awwww! Yep, that's me! :)

The one above is my all time favorite photo of myself...

Love the one above of me and my grandma Flo...and sweet Taffy the poodle!

And one of me, my mom, my pregnant aunt Karen (with Katie in her belly), my grandpa Joe and my grandma Flo...

Not sure about this one, but tried taking some pics yesterday of the wheat field across the street. The sun was shining on them and making them glow so gorgeously...I don't think I captured it at all though.

So, whew!! That was my longest post in quite awhile...and now it's time to start dinner so my runner's have some food when they get home from their workout!!

weekend bullets

:: No cross country meet this weekend. She will have the District meet on Wednesday and that will be the end of the season. Fingers crossed for another District win! She was the District Champ in 7th grade...hopefully it will be just as exciting in 8th! They will only be running a mile and a half, instead of two miles. Go Aspen!!

:: Since we'll be leaving early on Wednesday to drive about 2 hours to the meet, I decided to use up one of my personal days and just take the whole day off. Looking forward to that big time!!

:: I scrapbooked all day on Saturday with my girlies...had such a great day filled with laughter and stories. We all share and things just never seem so bad when you leave, because you know you aren't alone. It helps to know that others are going through similar things, have gone through similar things, thank goodness it isn't just us! I was very productive and completed 19 pages. Yay!!! Will try to post a few of my favorites...

:: I realized that I don't really have any winter shoes beside two pair of boots, one brown and one black. Beyond tennis shoes, I have nothing. So I did some searching and found a pair of brown lace up Born shoes...just what I was looking for. Very very comfy.That was mainly what I wanted, so I knew it would have to be Born, or Clark, or Sofft. I was in luck!

:: We watched "Seven Pounds" with Aspen last night. This was the second time for me and Chris, and it was very interesting to watch it through again now that we knew how it would end. Aspen was very confused the whole way through, and we kept telling her it would all make sense at the end. She understood most of it, once the movie was over. Very good movie, if you haven't seen it...

:: We exchanged Secret Scrapbook Santas at the crop, yay!! We have a $20 limit, and put all the goodies in some kind of neat container. I'm looking forward to buying wonderful goodies for my girl...it's always a fun time!

:: Finishing up laundry and getting ready for the week. Need to balance the checkbook and make my to-do list. Having pancakes for dinner.