I SOOOOO Miss my Friends!

Dear Diary...Well Hello ! Long time no post! I am sure that everyone was loosing sleep @ night wondering what in the world ever became of me :) Well... I have been working (& LOVING it!) Volleyballing (it's just ended) & just staying really busy in general. Things I have not been doing: Staying in contact with my good friends, scrapbooking & cleaning house (you could probably hide a full grown elephant in my house right now...seriously...well maybe it's not quite that bad. I just hate housework!) I have not had the time to scrapbook 1 single time since I started my job 4 months ago!!! (pitiful I know!)I really do miss it so much & really miss getting together with my scrappin buddies! I do get to decorate a 6x4 bulletin board each month so I hope that it counts as scrappin...I do use my scrappin paper & supplies & cricut on it though. I have still been taking lots of pictures though. Well...School starts soon & Kadence will go to kindergarten (boo-Hoo) & Ashtyn will go to Jr.High (boo-hoo) KK is ready & Ashtyn is not. Ashtyn is in band camp this week & next week too I think. Hard to believe she will be 13 next month! I promise to get some pics added to the next post of the girls. No time tonight though. I am already up past my bedtime :) funny how things change when you get a job! Well we went to Columbia mid July for ball. We went up 2 days early to watch baseball (fri. & sat) & we played volleyball on Sunday. Ashtyn played up with an older group of girls & we got 3rd. Not 1st like last year but 3rd is not bad out of 11 teams! Alot harder this year....they had some awesome teams! We had a blast! Well had to charge my ipod & noticed that I had not been on the computer since June 20 :( had over 1,000 emails to go through! arrh! Well I had better go & get clothes layed out for tomorrow in case I oversleep again! I just wanted to let everyone know I was still kicking & I will now post more often I promise! I miss seeing you all sooooo much! Talk to you all real soon I hope! Goodnight!

BACK TO WORK FOR ME!

Dear Diary, Well I did it! I went back to work. Found out that I got the Activities Director job @ Advance Nursing Center while I was on my trip to CKC. (Right after I had purchased my Rusty Pickle "Work is for People who don't scrapbook " T-shirt :) LOL... I have been there for 2 weeks now & love it very much! I got to have my monthly resident B-day party the other day & the residents had a blast! KK went to Daycare for the first time ever on Tuesday. She cried Monday night & so did I. But when I picked her up on Tuesday afternoon she ran to me & said "I had so much fun today, I love it here!" so that made me feel alot better. She actually woke me up this morning & said "I'm gonna be late for school" when I told her that she was not going today because it was Saturday she cried & was mad for a little while :) Well Ashtyn's Volleyball team took 1st at the Little Stoddard County Tournament on April 5th in Bell City! YIPPEE! (this was the one I left CKC early for & glad I did) One more tournament to go @ Puxico this next Saturday. Then that will be it for Elementary volleyball .next year....J.R. High Ball. Hard to believe that I will have one going to Kindergarten & 1 going into J.R. High this fall. Pray for me! :) I had a blast @ CKC! Next year hoping that there will be no tournaments to interfere with it & I will get to stay the whole weekend! I worked the Dollar Scrapbooking Booth again this year & had a blast there as well. They really had some cool stuff this year! I saw Rona & Sid for just a sec. & really regret that I did not get to see them more. I did a Piggy Tales make & Take with Deb M. (Thanks Deb!)Phoebe & I roomed with Penne & Cynde & went to the Friday night crop together (thanks for saving that table for us girls :) Cynde & Phoebe won door prizes! Lucky Ducks! Penne & I were not so lucky though....Waaah!) Well better get goin, need to go to bed! Everybody have a GREAT week! & Keep on scrapin!

HAPPY EASTER

Dear Diary....Hello! I hope that everyone had a good Easter! Ours was good! Although Ashtyn does not still believe in the "Easter Bunny" , she does still believe in getting a basket every year ;) I loaded KK up with small toys & coloring books instead of alot of candy...because frankly she is hiper enough without all of the added sugar & she thinks that you should sit & eat ALL of the candy at 1 time & that leads to a 2-3 day sugar high :) not good! OK, my mom convinced me to do the traditional "Egg Dying" thing with the girls this year since she was with Grandpa @ the hospital (they usually do it @ her house with her the night before Easter). I usually opt for the plastic eggs since they are already colored & I can fill them with goodies. {Hey..let's just face it, maybe I am just too lazy :)...& I do not like the mess & this year I could buy 1 doz. plastic ones for .33 compared to almost $2.00 for a doz. real ones???!!!) anyway, I humored all of them & it was not so bad after all. Maybe that will be a new tradition for us on Easter. {I still used a few plastic ones though :) but only a few & I used my food coloring instead of those pesky little tablets that come in the kits. & surprisingly it was not messy at all.} we took grandma her basket & then took grandpa his at the hospital. I am happy to report that he is doing very well & will get to leave the hospital today . He will not be going directly home though. They will transport him to the nursing home here in town to help him recover & then he will get to come back home.He knows that it is not a permanent thing & is fine with that. So, it's a good thing since he will get better faster (think I have watched too much Martha S. :) that's KK's favorite saying now too...everything is "a good thing") Well I guess I had better get going. I just wanted to make a quick post to wish everyone a Happy Easter! Have a Great week & Keep Scrappin!

QUACK, QUACK, WADDLE, WADDLE!

Dear Diary, anyone else feeling like a duck right about now??? I sure am! This weather is absolutely CRAZY! The 3 ways to the highway from my house were all flooded on Tuesday morning. Yep, I was stranded (until Tom got home with the truck anyway) It's really funny how many things that you think you really have to have RIGHT NOW when you are stranded...for instance, I really needed a Mr. Pibb & a Reese's candy bar. I was just sure that I would die with out them so I phoned in my order to Tom before he got home. Actually I really did not HAVE to have them or even need them for that matter BUT...it was just the fact that I could not just hop in my car & go to town when ever I wanted..anyway that's just me & my silly way of thinking! Well only 15 more days till CKC St.Louis! Whoo Hoo!! My girls (as sweet as they are :0) & I do really LOVE them) are driving me absolutely BONKERS this week! I need a break & PRONTO!!! Plus I love getting together with my buddies to scrap! Well my grandpa fell & fractured his hip the other day & had surgery today. He is doing fine & Today was his Birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDPA!! Will be doing alot of trips to Cape to visit & check on him the next few days so I think I am meeting up with Cynde & Penne tomorrow for lunch @ Olive Garden (I love that place!) I am so excited to get to see them & maybe we can chat about CKC & what our plans are for that w-end. I wonder when Dutchtown will open the roads back up? Now I am having to go to Blomeyer to Chaffee to Scott City & interstate to Cape. But it's to see Grandpa , so he's worth it :) Well better get going so I can get to bed & get up early. Hope everyone stays dry!

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Dear Diary.....Shame on me! It has almost been 1 month since my last post. I have been very busy , but that's really no excuse! Today is St. Patty's Day...Hope everyone remembered to wear their Green today! Actually I did forget to tell Ashtyn to wear Green to school today :( so I hope that she does not get pinched too much today! Well I did it...I enrolled KK in Kindergarten last week. That was such a tough decision for me. I really wanted her home 1 more year with me, but she's ready & it's time to let her go. She did not want to go at all but after registration she is soooo excited to go now! My friend Phoebe get's to go to CKC with me so it looks like I will get to go YIPPEE!!! I only get to stay Friday because Ashtyn has a v-ball tourn. on Saturday but at least I still get to go! I am soooooo happy! So Cynde & Penne add 2 to the room :) Hobby Lobby has a 40% off 1 item coupon this week if anyone needs one. It is so wierd going to Jackson & not stoping by the store. I miss it so very much! I wish Rona well in her E-bay adventures! I love ebay ! I need to list myself but it is so time consuming but I will get around to it someday :) Well better get going just wanted to make a quick post to let everyone know that I am still around! Have a great week! Angelia

Welcome Baby Maggie!

Dear diary, First off I would like to Welcome baby Maggie to the world! Congratulations April & her family! She is adorable! Now on to something that is not that plesant....the weather! What the heck is going on????? Thunder, rain, sleet, snow. Just makes me want to curl up in bed! But instead of doing that ,I have been cleaning like a mad woman today! Doing dishes, laundry , vacuming & my computer duties. JUST IN CASE we loose power again! I sure do hope we do not though. Just got word that the b-ball game has been cancelled tonight so no cheerleading for Ashtyn . Looks like a free day! If I can just keep the power going until SURVIVOR goes off tonight then no one will get hurt! Also found out yesterday evening that Ashtyn has a V-Ball tourn. April 5th. The very same w-end as CKC. Looks like I am in exactly the same perdicament as last year. And I am sure I will do the same thing as last year & leave EARLY Sat. morning to come home to go to the game. After all....my kids are more importaint than anything to me ,so....... I guess I can cut my trip short again this year. {DANG IT!} I got a Beautiful card from Rona in the mail yesterday, thanking me for the pages in her surprise scrapbook. Thank you Rona for the card {I think I am actually going to copy it :) } Well I guess I need to get going & get back to the housework.....no matter how long you avoid it , it is still waiting on you when you get back!!!! Talk to everyone later. Be safe & Stay warm!

Congrats! Advance Aces 1st place in the Greenville Il. "Panther Classic"

Advance Aces USAV Volleyball team: Coach Alicia (lying down), {Front Row:} Jasmine, Allie {Back Row:} Rebecca, Grayson, Ashtyn, Madison & McKayla

1ST PLACE Greenville, Il. Panther Classic! YIPPEE!

Dear Diary, That's right!!! They got 1st place in Greenville Il. last w-end!! YIPPEE! Undefeated all day! They were so proud, as were all of the parents. They ALL played very good ball that day. In one of our earlier games Ashtyn served 16 serves in a row!!! That was one of her goals is to serve a whole game & she almost made it {we were going to 19 pts. each game} but they picked up the last 1 and hit it back over. But oh, well still really cool! Kinda boring game though.....the ending score was 19 to 2 . I don't think it hurt that the college colors where we played were orange & black :) the girls felt right at home :) Let me just say again how proud I am of all of the girls, they did a great job & it was definatly worth the trip. With all of the ice we were afraid we would not get to go since we were heading up Friday night & spending the night.{ Now I am really excited about the next tourn. in Perryville on March 9.}Which brings me to another topic.....that darn ice storm! I do hope that everyone made it through ok. We lost power around 10:00pm on Monday & FINALLY got it back sometime around 11:30 Friday! What a trip! We stayed home the 1st night since it was after 10:00pm but then went to my parents house who also had no power but they do have a small generator. Enough to run the heat & some water. We also went & got my grandparents & they stayed there as well. So it was a full house. Tom, the girls & I stayed upstairs in my old room. The girls were bored out of their minds. Ashtyn said everything she uses has a cord or charger for it :) ahhhh, technology! I played ALOT of games on my phone {my personal fav. is Frogger! maybe that's because I can actually get through the 1st level of that one :)} did not get to scrapbook any because I did not want to drag all of my stuff over to moms because I knew if I did I would still forget something I wanted to use anyway! & personally I hate walking on ice & that's what the whole yard was....slick ,wet ice. So I slept alot! Well it looks like everything is cleared up for another ice storm to move in . They are saying tonight around midnight but I hope that they are wrong on this one! Well better get going ...need to get some work done like dishes & laundry in case we loose water again :( & Ashtyn has gymnastics tonight so I need to hurry! Hopefully I will get to leave early & stop by the store before her class starts! If the ice does come PLEASE be careful out there & stay warm!!!! BYE!

Warm Winter Wishes 4 U!

Dear Diary, Well I am officially 1 year older now! Hopefully 1 year wiser as well :) Thank you to my good friends for all of the B-Day wishes! {I did not even know you knew it was my B-Day!} Well isn't the snow BEAUTIFUL???!!! Since I am now homebound, because I do not drive on snow...maybe I can get things cought up around here. Kadence LOVES snow so I had 2 get a few photos of her before picking Ashtyn up from school. Surely I can get those scrapbooked after Valentines day. {a girl can dream :) can't she???!!!} Well the Crop tonight has been cancelled. Actually I am glad because I was not going to be able to go. Again because I am afraid of driving at night when the roads re-freeze. So hopefully next Friday will be clear & warm. My uncle Pat from Florida called me yesterday to wish me a Happy B-Day, & said it is in the 80's there. O.K. .....I'm jealous! Well Ashtyn's team got in the top 4 at the tournament in Perryville last Sunday. {Not bad out of 12 teams.} A few of the girls had never played on a traveling team before, only reg. season ball so I am sure they were nervous. Ashtyn played the best ball I had ever watched her play before, so I was so proud of her for that . It did not even matter to me that they did not get 1st. {Don't get me wrong ...1st would have been AWESOME!} she just played good ball! We have another tournament this Sunday in Bellville. Paula is driving {Grayson's mom} us up Sat. night since we have to be at the tournament by 7:45am on Sunday . I am so glad she does not mind driving in snow!!! Ashtyn & Grayson {1 of Ashtyn's BFF's}love riding together so they can visit :) I hope that the girls play well like last week. It makes for an exciting game! GOOD LUCK GIRLS!! Well I better go Ashtyn is out of school today & 1 of her BFF's Allie just called & wants her to get on Yahoo msnger. & chat. So until next time.....Be careful on the roads & STAY WARM!!!

Well...I asked for it!

Dear Diary, Well I asked for it...& here it is! A FREE DAY!!! Our 6th Grade b-ball game was cancelled so no cheer leading tonight. What to do..What to do? {laundry, dishes, vacum? probably not, but at least I thought about it :) } I do have a few things I HAVE to get done before the w-end so I will probably work on that stuff. & if there is no USAV prac. tomorrow , I will have not 1 but 2 free days!!!! { but not likely} One of Ashtyn's best friends Anne is not feeling well so..."Get Well Soon Annie! " I am sure Ashtyn misses your smiling face at school. Well, I have not been outside today, only to stick my head out the door & make sure Ashtyn made it off to school ok & it was COLD! I am so ready for Spring! I do not like the cold. Call me a wimp...but I do like the option of keeping warm inside. I do need to venture out to go check the mail. But I will wait a little longer. Well KK has discovered the fun of "Mr.Potato Head" she has played with them all morning . I do need to get some pics. of her creations to scrapbook. That might make a interesting page. Well better get going to enjoy my FREE DAY!!!

Will things EVER slow down?

Dear Diary, Long time since I have made a post but seems like I have been so busy lately I just have not really had the time! Not to mention I have not been able to do ANY scrappin :( with cheerleading, & USAV volleyball in full swing & toss in gymnastics no time at all left for anything else. but it's all good! When March gets here it will slow down a little :) Well Ashtyn went to a Hannah Montana concert with 1 of her best friends Grayson on the 15th in St. Louis & had a blast! She called me on the way home & said it was so fun & her voice hurt. Grayson got the tickets for Christmas & invited Ashtyn to go with her. Grayson's dad Harold actually was the one who took them {what a brave, brave man ! to be around 1,000's of screaming little girls :) he has more nerve than me! } Ashtyn took 200 pics. so I plan to make them both a scrapbook of the concert (someday) I do have good intentions to get that done soon though. We have our 1st USAV tournament in Perryville this Sunday (27th). I am so psyched about it. {GO ADVANCE!} I LOVE USAV volleyball! It's alot more competative than regular season ball & the traveling makes it more fun too! We leave here @ 7:15 am {& if all goes well & they place in pool play they move to tournament play} we should be done & ready to leave Perryville by 5:00pm. LONG day but if they are playing well it's well worth the drive! Hope I remember my stadium seat to avoid any "Bleacher Butt" :) I think Cynde is working pretty hard on getting a crop together. (So cynde if you need any help please let me know & I will squeeze it in.) well better get goin & get to bed. Have a full day planned for tomorrow! Goodnight!

SWEET RETREAT

Dear Diary, Well I just got home from our last retreat. I must say I am very sad that it was our last retreat @ Stamps & Scrapbooks but it sure was sweet! I met alot of new girls today {Those St. Louie girls sure were a Hoot! Glad I got 2 meet them. } and had an absolute Blast! I sure do hope that I do get to see them again. Ashtyn had a really good time taking classes & made some really neat projects. I think all of us girls that are CKC bound in April are going to make some of those Aprons that Cynde taught a class on to wear up there. {Those were 2 cute!} I do hope that Rona has the monthly crop in Feb. Well better get going, just thought I would make a quick post to say how much FUN I had! Thanks to everyone who took my classes or purchased a kit. I will be dropping off kits that were purchased today on Wednesday afternoon @ the store. Well better go for real this time, Have a Happy Monday!

A Very Sad Day!

Dear Diary, Today is a very sad day...A very good friend of my Grandma & my family passed away last night. Her name was Glenda & I have known her my whole life. She was a wonderful woman & Heaven is very lucky to have her now. It is very hard to loose someone you love ,but I do believe she is in a MUCH better place & is in total peace & is in no more pain. She will be missed greatly & my condolences go to her family. I also read the post that Rona is closing the store. This also makes me sad! I have met some Wonderful ladies there & made some lifelong friends. I feel very lucky to have gotten to teach at the store it was really fun! I do hope everyone remains to keep in close contact after the store does close it's doors. This weekend will be the last retreat so LET's MAKE IT COUNT!

Brenda Walton {K&Co.} 12x12-1pg.Christmas L/O "Believe"

In this class you will be using the Brenda Walton {K&Co.} Peppermint Twist "Ol' St.Nick" as a main paper to create this 12x12-1pg. Christmas themed L/O tittled: "BELIEVE" You will be using: Glitter,ribbon, Ink, buttons, brads & a photo turn. Machine stitching as always is also on this L/O but will be pre-stitched to save on class time. {hard to see in the photo but I cut out a Santa from the paper & coated it with diamond glaze, added it to a jump ring & used it as a charm on the side ribbon. The charm will already be glazed & ready to use...again to save on class time.} A approx. 5x5" photo will work best for this L/O. For this class you will need to bring: your basic tool kit, Black ink, adhesive, your favorite glue to use for glittering & a white gel pen if you have one, if not, Rona has these available at the store. Class cost: $7.00 this class will repeat on Sunday if you cannot make it to the Saturday class. Limited # of seats available each day.

Well Hello!

Dear Diary, Well I am FINALLY feeling 100% better! Frustrated that I have already broken several of my New Year's resolutions though...#1. No more being a procrastinator {already broke it} #2. Post to my blog EVERY day {already broke it} you get the picture. Do not even know why I bother :) Since my office is very close to the bathroom...I did get signed up for my CKC classes Friday night while everyone else was having fun @ the crop... I had to miss because I was sick & had cooties! I am sooo psyched to go again this year! Some of us are taking a trip to Big Cedar the weekend before CKC for a Scrap Retreat {can't wait!}so the girls I normally go with will not be going to CKC this year :( I really will miss them but am very excited to take a road trip with my scrappin buddies from Jackson since I have never traveled with them before! As crazy as they are I am sure I will have a blast! Well better go post my other class for the Jan. 12-13 retreat. Goodnight...or shall I say Good morning!

Rusty Pickle 12x12-1pg. L/O "My Sweet Valentine"

Here is a class I will be teaching at the Jan.12 retreat. RUSTY PICKLE (my Fav.) 12x12"-1pg.L/O "MY SWEET VALENTINE" In this class you will create a 1 pg. Valentine inspired L/O using Rusty Pickle's "CHOCOLATE KISSES" line of papers. You will be using Glitter, Velvet ric-rac, silk flowers, buttons, Dymo Labeler, & Making Memories Glitter Glaze. As always, it does include machine stitching as well. {this will be pre-stitched for you to save on class time} A black/white 5x7" horizontal photo works best for this project , due to the tittle placement.{but color photos will also work} For this class you will need to bring: black ink, adhesive, & your fav. glue to use for glittering. Class cost is $12.00 This class will not repeat on Sunday, so sign up soon. Limited # of seats available for this class.

Merry BELATED Christmas & Happy New Year!

Dear Diary, It has been such a long time since I have posted I feel ashamed! I missed wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year & I also missed my good friend Cynde's 25th ;) B-Day! {sorry Cynde ...but honestly I did not even know when your B-day was until I read it on the blog, so maybe that will keep me out of hot water!} I do hope that everyone had a Great Christmas! We did {even though I did not get anything made for gifts as I had planned to do...or even get to make cards for that matter...again, I feel ashamed!} My uncle Pat was in from Florida & we had a great time visiting with him. Everything has been so hectic lately..did not even get the tree put up until Dec.23, just not enough hours in the day! I won't even get started on the way my house looks right now. Let's just say it looks like we were robbed & the house was ransacked...but it wasn't :) no ones fault but my own. I am getting ready to get a few projects done for the upcoming retreat. Supposed to get those turned in by the crop this Friday...as usual I have waited until the very last minute. I plan on doing a Christmas L/O & Valentines day L/O but we will just see...I will get the pics posted as I complete them of my classes I will teach. Well better get going & create something! Goodnight!