i love this kid!

so school is out... and this beautiful girl brings me all the junk that is in her desk in a big ole walmart sack to sort thru. yeah me! and as i am sorting out the junk from the keep stuff i run across this treasure... spelling has been left as it was written.....

My Mom

My favorite person is my mom. she is there for me. Even when I'm not very good she is still there & when I'm just so mad it hurts.

Just when she is about to pull her hair out she stops and thinks of why she is so mad and trys not to lauges (laugh).

When we go to the movies we see somting that we both want to see.

If you think I'll trad her out. Well your wrong. I love her and I will always stick with her.

and then i forget about all the junk i had to dig thru to find this most precious scrap of paper.. thoughts in her heart, about me... i am so blessed really blessed and realize that no matter how much junk i have to dig thru, this little bit of heaven is so worth it!

dreams do come true

yeah, i look fairly normal... but you get me around some chatterbox.. and i turn into a FREAK!! I LOVE THIS COMPANY and their products so much!!! I love the way the papers inspire me as an artist, how it compliments my photos and makes the pages i create so beautiful. I love the way it smells, the way it feels. i love how it crumples and sands and tears.. i have a SERIOUS love affair going on with this paper! But it is not just about the products and the paper, nope it is so much more than that! I love this company, i love that they started in their home around a kitchen table, that they are REAL people who had a huge dream and worked so hard to make it happen. I love their philosophy "Make it Meaningful", and all that it stands for, not only to them, but how it affects how and why i do what i do. Make each day count, remember the special little moments of everyday. I was so blessed to be able to meet Melody Ross back in 2005, at a lil convention in TX. We just hit it off, you know how you sometimes meet someone, and you just know their heart? She is so REAL, super duper nice and so grounded in her family and faith. She is one of my dearest friends, and i am so honored to be a part of her dream and vision for the future of her wonderful company. HONORED and blessed to be asked to help her and the other Storytellers start a HUGE revolution in the scrapbooking community. Everyone's story is important, everone HAS a story to tell, and by telling our stories we connect with each other in a very profound and meaningful way. We are not alone in this journey of life, each has happiness and tears to share. I challenge each of the 3 whole people who read this blog(love you girls)... GO TELL YOUR STORY!!! i am telling mine, every day and it is only the beginning! I can't wait to discover what stories are being written now to be told one day!

hugs to you sweet friends,

melanie

so much to tell

ok so i am really horrible blogger. i cannot keep a diary, i mean i have one, but i can never remember 1. where it is at.. and 2 even if i keep it in a visible location, i can never remember to write in it. i like the idea of having a journal, but practically it just somehow never gets done. i don't know, it is just me, i have all these great intentions, but no follow thru. same with scrapping, seriously have not done anything since CHA stuff for chatterbox, and then i only did liek 8 or 9 pages, and i just cannot seem to get it together lately.

i feel FANTASTIC health wise my meds are working, my body is adjusting to all the surgery and hormones and junk it has been thru and have never felt better or more energetic and just plain happy!
my job is going so well, i really love my job. it is such a blessing to work in an environment where you are appreciated and encouraged every day! i work with wonderful people and it really is a joy to get up each morning and go to work ( ok ok not the actual "getting up" part, but after that). this opportunity has been such a HUGE blessing for our family, financially especially, finally getting to sock some down on this debt and it is nice for a change to not be dead broke all the time!
the kids are great, loving school and i can't believe the school year has flown by so fast, summer is fast approaching, and they are looking forward to the pool and summer activities we have planned.

so that is me in a nutshell these days, happy settled, content. something i have not been for a long time emotionally or physically, and i am really blessed to be able to say that i would not ask for more.

love you guys, all you loyal blog readers and friends. Your support and prayers this past year has meant so much, thank you all!!

back again...

i know i know it has been a long time, but in my defense i have had so much going on... read on and you will see!!!

first in February i got a call asking me to fill in for a few days at a friends office... a few days turned into him hiring me permanently... yes i am a working girl again! So i had to find daycare for mia, and arrange my working schedule and all that jazz... so getting used to working full time and balancing my home was a top priority, and i think we are finally settling into a routine.

and then... i had to go take a week long training class to get licensed to sell insurance in arkansas... and have to still sit for the state exam on the 29th of march...

ok and then i got really sick in jan/feb with my girl monthly stuff... like seriously sick, and it was decided that i needed surgery to fix the problem. so last tuesday the 6th i had a hysterectomy. and spent the rest of that week corked out on pain medication and sleeping. and i am thankful and recovering nicely.

so that is where i have been and what i have been up to... in addition to...

getting the puppy potty trained, gettin mia to let go of my leg every morning at drop off, getting 3 of my people over a nasty stomach virus and all the laundry that it created... let's see... i think that about covers all of it....

yep that's it... but i am back... and hopefully will stay on top of this blog thing!!

i've been tagged!

thanks julie and leanne for making me "it" i now have to tell my secret weirdness to the world... i am gonna be brave... here goes.....

1. I have a serious moisturizer fetish. I must have lotion and chapstick at all times, and i HAVE to put lotion on my feet before i go to bed at night...

2. My nickname(s) growing up were Miss Piggy (for the muppet) and Roscoe (from Dukes of Hazard) my mother used to call me both things, since i was really little, and sometimes i still catch her callin me Piggy on rare occasions... hehe

3. I talk to myself... all day long.. but i don't answer back (YET) so i think i am still normal.. just about what i am doing and what needs to be done... kinda like a running list and verbal reminder to keep me on track i think i am ADD...

4. i am a HUGE procrastinator.... this is really one of my worst habits... i just get sidetracked so easily and i am a little lazy (just a little) hehe so i have way to many unfinished projects on my plate....

5.i have a morning routine and i don't like to be deviated from it... ADD and OCD again... i must do my morning routine every day or i don't feel like i have had a good day... it goes like this....
-get up, get dressed, make all the beds, pick up all the dirty clothes, clean the bathrooms, clean up the kitchen, start laundry... check email, blogs, message boards, breakfast.... then i can start my day... but all this has to be done first....and i just get all sideways and out of sorts if i don't accomplish this little bit of stuff every day. I get this from my nanny... who is infamous for her "routines".

6. Is that enough wierdness yet??? ok a few more... i love the smell of chatterbox paper, clean laundry, baby necks, puppy breath, baking cookies, and pipe tobacco. I love to see first spring flowers, smiles on my children, perfect snowflakes, my sweet husband coming home. I love to hear "I love you", children laughing (especially mine), worship music, and a nice rumbly thunderstorm. I love to feel the softness of my babies, warm flannel sheets, holding my hubby's hand, and sweet friend hugs. I love to taste the first season's strawberries, homemade icecream, chocolate and peppermint tea. I am a simple gal, and simple things make me happy... little things really. The blessing of another day, the sun shining, birds singing, and a safe place to land at the end of the day...

weird?? normal??? you decide... all in all i can only be who i am and who God made me... weirdness and all!

perfection...

ok so when i see this PERFECT snowflake, i just had to stop a moment and have a mini worship session right there. I mean i have seen snow before, but never perfect snowflakes, ones that look like the kind we try to make out of paper. You know i just imagine God sitting up on His throne with a piece of cloud and scissors crafting each one to perfection. Just like He crafts us individual, different and perfect in His eyes. WOW! and really it is true every one is different! i just had to share this today, it is beautiful, really beautiful and i cannot keep it all to myself.

new arrival!

we have added 4 feet to our house... that is 4 paws... Sophie has joined our bunch, a pure princess lap dog, already spoiled and a mama's girl! we are so excited to have this little fur baby in our family and she will be carted around town and smuggled into where ever i can get away with!! hehe

here's our lil princess!!! only 11 weeks old, a lil snuggle baby!

new year...

well since this is a new year and all i wanna reflect on last year's goals....

1. oh nevermind i did not even meet any goals..... so forget it... i will just start over.

oh wait... i did get published twice last year, more luck than anything, but that was one of my goals, so... i did manage to do one thing.

so for 2007 i wanna focus on awareness...
awareness of my spiritual walk and making it
more of a priority
awareness of the needs going on around me and making a difference when i can
awareness of my finances and making them more stable and being more responsible

and i wanna also focus on some dreams too:
becoming a better photographer, and possibly making a few extra $$
working for the dt's i am on and doing some amazing work with them

and honestly i am so easy to please, i am just gonna work on those little things, so i can enjoy all the blessings i have been just surrounded with this past year... friendships, laughter, love, and the 3 little ones who say the word "mommy" like it is magical or something... wow!

hope your new year is full of new dreams and hopes for the wonderful year ahead!

i still dont consider this....

REALLY SCRAPBOOKING....in my personal taste and opinion you gotta break out paper and glue, but i got this insert in last month's CK and decided to see what all the fuss is about.... digital scrapbooking 101... including a free downloadable kit from the very talented Jessica Sprague. Well i tried it... and i must say a couple of things... 1. it was easier than i thought. 2. I really like how quickly it came together. 3. I can see myself doing this again. 4. i will in no way replace real scrapbooking with it, but it might be kinda cool for a quick digi album for relatives that don't get scrapbooking and would like something of the family and i don't wanna waste my precious paper and glue...hehe ... so without further ado...here's my first digital page!!

We Wish you a Merry Christmas!!!!

A very merry Christmas to all of you who read this... my friends and family i love you all so much and pray for you to have a CHRIST-filled Christmas and many blessings!!!

SWAK!!!
melanie

!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH

all done!!! finished shopping!! getting my goodies made... finishing them up this week!!
get ready... you might get run over my my reindeer!

it's beginning to look alot like christmas

christmas is coming!!! i am getting my shopping almost done...i just have a few things to pick up... and then AHHHH done!!
hopefully we are gonna get our tree this weekend and get our christmas card photos taken this weekend too! so... sooonnnn lalalalala!

then the real fun starts... we are doing our baby jesus basket again this year, our kids are already asking about it, and i reassured them that yes we would be doing that, it is tuned into something very dear and special to the holiday season for our family.
baking christmas cookies, caroling, and then lots of nights of warm fires, popcorn, and christmas movies! I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!
i have lots of goodies and treats planned for those i love and they will be spoiled with homemade gifts and yummy christmas love!

hope you all are finding your christmas spirit... otherwise come sit by me!!

election day...

well i was not going to vote. Really i was just going to let this day pass like any other and let other people make the decisions... i prefer it that way.. blissful ignorance. Until i talked to my friend Rhonda, who asked me if i had voted yet... i said no and she looked at me like "WHY?!" She really did not say much except "You need to go vote today", and i just planned to you know in one ear and out the other... that lil advice (sorry)
honestly i have lost all faith in the american government, and its elected officials. You vote for certain people because they tell you where they stand only to get elected and either reverse their stance completely or start playing hopscotch.... I just get tired of it...

then after i left her house, i got to thinking in my car on the way home (a very dangerous past-time i must say) and it occurred to me that if i did NOT vote not only would i not have the right to complain about what america is becoming, but more importantly by remaining silent i would be compromising what i belive to be right and true to the overwhelming majority of wicked Godless people who are trying to steer this country in that direction (away from God). I had this huge conviction that it was my duty as a Christian to stand up and vote and even if my voice is a whisper in the crowd, it might be heard by someone, and that someone may be the someone who shouts to the masses.
Not only my Christian duty (which is most important) but also my duty as a woman... how many countless women (and some men) gave their lives so i would have the right to have an opinion in how my cuontry is lead? Too many, too many for me to remain silent and unconcerned.

So thank you Rhonda, you made me think today (so dangerous), but it was something i needed.
Thank you...

fall? Oh YES!!

oh it is FALL!! i love the cool crisp air, the smell of fallen leaves, the beautiful colors!! OH how i love fall!!
we went to the pumpkin patch this past weekend, and the kids had such a good time picking out their pumpkins and riding the hay ride, it was such a beautiful day! Here's my lil punkins having fun!!

almost forgot to tell you...

Me and LeAnne came up with a con-spiracy to surprise our girls and take them to tulsa for the weekend to go see Raven at the fair...we did not tell them anything until we got there and they were soooo excited when they finally figured it all out!! we stood there for like 4.5 hours and watched a bunch of ugliness set in when they only had 250 chairs for like oh i don't know 2000+ people, and some of these parents were like getting in fights over seats and stuff... it was so awful! But then by the time the concert started everyone settled down and had a great time... The girls danced and sang and just really enjoyed themselves in the 2nd row! So... here's some photos from the concert... some of the girls and some of raven too!!

my little model...

ok so first of all i need to say a big THANK YOU to my sweet friend for sharing her photographic secret locations.... and then i need to share these fantastic photos of my girls i took yesterday!

OH MAN this was so much fun, and it went fast cuz it was cold outside (think marathon snapping in abot 10 minutes)and the location was just too cool for words! I love love love how these photos turned out!!!

so without further delay, here are my little models!

Seven years ago today, i married my best friend. I cannot tell you how blessed i am to have this wonderful loving man in my life. He loves God so much, loves his children in such a beautiful way it makes me fall in love with him all over again each time i see him with them. He loves me... really loves me, knows me inside and out, my flaws, my weaknesses and strengths. He completes me (corny, but he does) in a way that i cannot explain. I love him. I love him. So on this day, i want to give thanks to God above for allowing us to be together despite the odds, and troubles we have had, they have only made us stronger in our faith in God and each other. He has blessed this marriage with truth, love and 3 beautiful healthy children who make our lives worth living each day. Thank you God for my life, it is sweet, so sweet.

dare i hope???

well it has been a few weeks... update, after many dr's visits, lab tests and all that jazz, i am on 2 medications and i am daring to hope again... i am beginning to see glimpses of the girl i am inside screaming to get out... i am waking up smiling, with more energy... i am not nearly as MOOODDYY and i think just maybe my hubby is remembering the girl he married so long ago. I feel like me again.. almost everyday little things surprise me, make me laugh, make me stop and enjoy and i no longer want the day to end... just to go to bed and sleep (wink wink)!
SOOOO that said... some funny things have been happening lately... my kids are hilarious... no really something i have not been able to notice for quite sometime they crack me up!!! and they love me, really love me, even when i am grouchy and even more when i am fun and energetic and playful and PATIENT and not yelling... oh it is sooo good to be back!

A bit of a change has taken place at our house this week. I am no longer babysitting that precious baby boy... his grandma decided to retire and really wanted to watch him, and who could blame her... he is so sweet, so he is gone, and i am sad, i love him dearly, almost like one of my own, but i know that his granny loves him and will really enjoy him alot! So suddenly i have a lot more time on my hands, and my house is mother in law clean, my laundry is not only done but put away... and i have been going to the library, and to lunch with friends, and playing polly pockets for hours with my little mia mouse.. it is good, still good, but quieter and will take some getting used to.

Tom is travelling this week, will be home Thursday, and i am missing him already and he just left today! I hate it when he travels, it is hard on me and the kids and really him too. But it is a neccessary evil for his job, and until he decides to move on to something else, he is gonna be gone sometimes.

I think that is it for now... my friend Rhonda is visiting my friend Melody in Idaho... talked to them on the phone this evening they were heading to dinner... sounds like they are having a good visit. My sweet friend Julie is moving CLOSER to me to Greenwood in just a few weeks I CANT WAIT!!! and i get to go help her tomorrow to get ready to have a yard sale before they move, and the girls will get to play!! Jenna and Mia have such a great time together!! SO i am still waiting on my friend LeAnne to QUIT her stinkin job and become a full-time photographer so i can book appts for her and keep her hoppin (wink)... and everyone else... oh they are fantastic, and fun and i miss them and wanna get together soooooonnn!!!!!

I'm a PaperDIllies Girl!!!

YAY something to blog about FINALLY!!!! I know you guys prolly thought i dropped off the planet of this blog thing, but since i talk to everyone who reads my blog almost every day...i really did not have any NEW news to report.....UNTil NOW!!!

Paperdillieshttp://www.paperdillies.com/ asked me to join their design team!!!! I am so excited and they make the CUTEST monthly album kits out there!!! Fantastic papers, themes and embellishments definitely worth the $$$$!!!! And i get to play with all these great products!!! I am so excited!!!! Can you tell??

SO.... i have a lot to look forward to this fall for sure!!!

Today i am 32 years old!! I cannot believe it! I remember when i was little how 32 seemed so old, but now that i am here, it doesn't feel that old at all! I have so many reasons to be happy and thankful. I have had a blessed life that is sure. So here' a little self portrait of being me at 32 :
1. I am a Child of the KING! I mean it really doesn't get any better than this does it?
2. I get to be the wife of the most loving and wonderful husband! He KNOWS me, knows me and loves me anyhow. Man i am a lucky girl!
3. They call me Mommy... and yes somedays it seems like i would like to change my name, i would not trade a minute for the love and joy that these 3 little blessings have brought to my life.
4. I have been so blessed with friendship, they just fill my heart and love me as only girlfriends can
5. I love birthday cake, especially the icing!
6. I got flowers from a friend today, she does not know me that well, but somehow managed to get me daisies and pink roses too... my TWO favorite flowers. They made me smile today!
7. My house is finally a home, it took us a long time to get that cozy lil nest, but I think we have managed to create that safe haven we wanted.
9. I love pink… yeah I know cliché, but I do…
10. I am getting crow’s feet around my eyes, I really noticed them today.
11. I love to shop, it is a problem really, and I can control my impulses better, but I still love to go shopping!
12. Chocolate is my sister, really, we are related.
13. I have a bad habit of cracking my knuckles, I have tried to stop… but oh well.
14. I love scrapbooking, anything really related to scrapbooking especially if it is made by Chatterbox.
15. I am a BAG fanatic, I love bags, purses, you name it, although I don’t actually OWN that many, I love them!
16. I also love BOWLS, and yeah I do own a lot of bowls, and they are so cute!
17. I have developed a flip flop fetish… finally after many years of swearing I could not wear them.. I LOVE them, have em in every color!
18. I love music, since I was little, songs have always soothed my soul. I love all kinds of music, not just typical girl stuff like Celine Dion, but I love oldies, Stevie Wonder and Jackson 5, I love aerosmith, and 80’s music, I love praise and worship music. Pretty much if it sings, I like it, with the exception of the Freaky heavy stuff… YUK
19 I like the smell of playdough, yeah it’s weird, but its me…
20. I love the beach, the ocean and the Majesty and vastness of this glorious creation of God.
21. I have a serious addiction to the smell of Chatterbox paper!
22. comfort food makes me a very happy girl… mac and cheese, chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, warm fresh bread… mmmmmmmmm
23. I m an organization freak wanna be… I love containers, baskets and having everything neat and tidy, somehow I can’t quite manage it…but I pack a suitcase very well!
24. I hate scary movies, I refuse to watch them EVER
25. Thunderstorms are way cool, except when the sky goes green, then I am hiding in my closet!
26. Gap jeans are the best!
27. when I concentrate really hard, I chew on the inside of my lip… gross I know, but I don’t even know I am doing it most of the time
28. my idea of a great alone day is rainy, starbucks, new book, curl up on the couch and nap… then I don’t wanna be so alone anymore.
29. I am a terrible procrastinator, really
30. cold weather makes me want to hibernate, don’t like it, even tho snow IS beautiful.. from inside the warm house.
31. Did I mention I love chatterbox?!
32. I am so very blessed, and I love to be me (today) haha