Happy Birthday to ............

my favorite eldest son!!! (I have a favorite youngest too-LOL). 26 years old and where did the time go??? How did he go from zero to 26 this fast??? In a blink of an eye. *sniff* This is one of my favorite photos that my pal Emily took. He was a sweet, easy PRETTY (all from his mama's side *smirk) baby. Perfect for a single mom. He was smart (again from the mama *snort*, funny (again me) and silly (definately his dad LOL) and he grew up to almost the same. Not as silly, but still smart and funny. Sweet could be in there too. LOL! I'm so proud of the man he is (despite my efforts). He serves his country proudly, he's quite the family man, and is looking forward to a new addition to his family! I'm sooooooo glad he was mine for awhile, and even though the apron strings have been cut, there is still a bond that will last a lifetime.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABYCAKES - MANY MORE TO COME!

Change is in the air...............especially at my house

and here's my LO emphasizing, clarifying and scrapifying my word!!! Didn't put a definition in because pretty much everyone knows about change. You may not be on board but you KNOW about it. lol!!! Well there are times when you jump on board, and there are times when you go kicking and screaming, then there are those times when you really don't wanna go at all. Well I chose to embrace it, welcome it and have a good time w/it. What else can you do that wouldn't be a tad undignified? Not that I can't be all about undignified but that's another whole story. lol!! I feel the need for change. SO I'm gonna go w/it. Haven't been led astray by going w/things. Especially when I'm being pulled that way.

So I'll keep you posted as the changes unfold.

Double Dog Dare Challenge #3

THE challenge: FIND AN OLDER PHOTO OF YOU AND JOURNAL ABOUT 3 MAJOR MILESTONES YOU HIT (COULD BE CURRENT, COULD BE AT A CERTAIN AGE) COULD BE RIGHT IN A ROW, COULD BE JUST 3.

<--------------------Love the way mine turned out. It's a HYBRID. *gasp* I wanted to concentrate more on the journaling and the papers that I had just wasn't showing me the love. Cardstock. Who knew. Filled the rest in with a stamp, quickutz, rubons and primas. This wasn't as tough as I thought it was going to be. I actually did the journaling FIRST. (are ya impressed yet?snort) and then found the picture (which took awhile) and then the design. THAT part was giving me a fit. Until I sort of lifted a LO of mine that I did awhile ago that was sort of a lift from my pal April. It all runs down hill. BWAHAHAHA!

SO take the challenge. I'd love to see what you do with it!

An Omen from the Sky....sigh!

As part of my new lifestyle program, I ride my bike to Publix. Not for fun or frivolity but to actually PURCHASE groceries for my NEW LIFESTYLE. Did I mention I have a new lifestyle? snort. Anyway. On my way - minding my own business, listening to the birds, the traffic - of which you have to be totally on your toes with right and left turning traffic. They can make you an oil splat in no time. LOL! Trying to avoid that. Well. Said chirping birds, laid one on my shirt. (Cleaned up as best I could in the restroom, but seriously nothing short of dynamite will get that stuff OFF). Imagine my dismay. Of course this happened when I was yards from said store. SO I peddle on and shop my list. I have one of the Publix bags which hangs like a backpack for the ride home. Well, when you fill their little green basket UP, and have to carry your extra purchases, its probably a good indication that not ALL of your purchases will FIT in your bag. So. Had to call DH to come get the groceries. LOL!!! Shoulda seen that coming. Enjoyed the journey home, because well, its all about earning that extra point, that allows for another snack. LOVE THOSE SNACKS baby.

Challenge #2 - Double Dog Dare

8 circles - yup. count'm EIGHT. on a page. a 12x6 page. bwahahaha. I am soo diggin that size. Too bad I'm 3 years late and maple lane isn't making the albums anymore. And yes, yes, I know, same color scheme as Challenge #1 (see below), but it worked perfect with Shane's life vest. Speaking of Shane - does he look YOUNG!!!! I came across this page accidentally and well, the rest is scrapped. snort. get it????

We would put Shane in the tube when he started yapping too much and driving us all crazy. SO much for "punishment" as he had a blast and would continue talking and singing in the tube as if he were still in the boat. That's my boy. lol!

All deja view except for my favorite quickutz fonts - blossom and lemonade.

Test drive the challenge and send me your layout and I'll post it. OF course you ignored the invitation last time, but hey one can hope.

Now and then............

I need a HINT!!! You know. Those pesky computer codes that change on a whim because someone else has the utter audacity to have the same screen name as you. Go figure. So being the creative person that I am. SNORT. I decided that having them hang around my pc on sticky notes was NOT the look I was after. So. Digging into my Creative Cafe stock of papers (which totally rock BTW), I found different colored (front and back) notebook paper, and wa-la. Instant booklet to store all those codes.


Made the front covers out of chipboard. YUM! In case you care the size is 4x3.5 *gasp* a measurement from Lynn. Another go figure. Smirk. Made the paper the same size. No sense in getting carried away. Dug out some embellies I purchased on the spur of the moment. Love it. Keeping the inside simple for writing stuff down. NO additional lumps or bumps. And a bit of confidentiality. bwahahaha!

CHANGE is my word for this year....

(its an Ali Edwards thing and its fun to participate and stretch the limits) Seems like it started w/a bang when my pc crashed and now I have a new operating system and ALL that has changed inside with things lost and recovered (thanks to my clever DH). I've chosen Microsoft digital image suite 2006 anniversary because well I love the pro9 and this just fits me. (Sorry all you PSE6 people-just doesn't work for me) and that's still kind of a change because I'm UPgrading. snort. Second, my appearance will be changing. Hopefully. Joined weight watchers last night with my pal Brookie, so hopefully I won't have to stand behind anyone or make sure I'm turned sideways when I have my picture taken. SNORT. Started this morning and I already feel skinny. Bwahahaha. A true state of MIND. Third, things are happening at home that require changes in attitude and gratitude so prayers would be so appreciated. So all in all, sometime soon a layout w/be reflecting all this.

So now that *I* have EMBRACED CHANGE. It's a good thing. snort.

Challenge #1 - staple, paper clip, sticky note

The FIRST double dog dare and it was fun. Used a shot from Bimini - can't go wrong there. Worked in a paper clip, staple and sticky note w/a water marina, dock thing. Should get extra points for that. SNORT! The second challenge is next week. So come on out and play and do challenge #1, send it to ME and I'll put it on MY BLOG and the official Double Dog Dare site!

Change is good right???????????????

MAYBE FOR YOU IT IS!!! lol! Actually I LOVE change, I EMBRACE change, when it is I WANT CHANGE. KWIM???? *snicker*. However, I'm not happy when change is forced upon me, say by oh a crashed computer. ARGGHH!!! So with the new VISTA operating system some things don't work. Like my digital image pro 9. Which I LOVE. So I downloaded a trial of PE6. Its different, but may have everything I need. I'm going to search for a trial for 2006 BUT MS w/not be supporting any of their digital image products. So why bother???? I would know how to use it!!! But is it the coolest out there anymore?THUS, I did download Picasa which has some interesting things and can organize your stuff in 2 seconds flat. literally. It doesn't have advanced photo editing. I guess if I took better pictures I wouldn't need that. *insert eyeroll* *snort* bwahahahaha!

OH THE DECISIONS! So if any of you have any opinions (snort) I'd love to hear them.

What do you do w/your Christmas Cards???

Well according to Ali (my pal-LOL) you whack them into squares and make a layout. It absolves you of all guilt when you throw the remainders away. It irks me that *I* didn't think of this, but HEY, its what "lifting's" all about. Read about this in Ali's fantastic book "Life Artist" and had a sticky note right by it to remind me that this was on MY LIST of things to do. The rockin paper is creative cafe - Lucky. Makes a beautiful Christmas paper since I really didn't purchase that much Christmas paper this year. Don't know why because there were some awesome lines out there. Sigh.

Working on my Bimini album and don't you know I had it all planned and thought out, even purchased a "Bimini" album right there on the island, and completely changed gears, because as cool as the album is, and its totally rockin cool, it just doesn't fit the photos, or the story I wanna tell. (thanks again Ali). snort. Need all the help I can get.

As you know I had some *minor* pc issues (insert eyeroll) which my awesomely wonderful DH managed to SAVE 98% of my stuff from my hosed hard drive and get it installed on my NEW PC. However, I'm having a hard time getting Digital Image Pro9 to RUN. GRR!!! Need this program to crop, enhance and print my Bimini photos. OH and remember the 2007 i PREMADE??? Well its just waiting for PICTURES. Which I will have shortly, as soon as I figure out (which is code for DH figuring out - SNICKER) why that software won't run. OH and I will BE BACKING UP OFTEN. You may wanna put this on your list!