BLOG CHALLENGE #4

OK so I have to admit...I thought that I would be able to do this every day,ROFLOL! What was I thinking? OMG what a struggle! Sorry ladies!!! I heart you for sticking it out with me...I know a number of you said you liked the daily challenge but I just cannot do it :( Sorry!

So I will try a weekly challenge! I will TRY to do the challenges on Mondays just like the Monday LO of the day, Coffee Chat, and sketch challenge on the site!

I thought summer would bring tons of extra time considering I am not working as much, or so I thought?! Ugh...seems as though it is busier if you can believe that I could get any crazier?!

OK so for todays challenge I want you all to blog about a personal story or something like that! Something very near and dear to your heart that will help others understand the type of person that you are?!

OK for me;
I am a 33 year old wife and mother to 2DS. I am just like many others out there. I struggle with everyday things...just searching for a little time to grasp a moment here and there as life seems to be buzzing past.
I am a simple person I think?! DH has other ideas of that,LOL! Simple little things make me happy! As I sit here in my scrap room looking out one of the windows overlooking my vegetable garden with a few apple trees off to the right of it. To the left sits my flower garden. Then behind the vegetable garden fence I see the path leeding into the wooded acres. The trees are are swaying slightly in the wind. I hear the birds chirping...hmm could it be baby birds? You see just above this very window I am looking out of sits a bird nest. I see momma bird flyin and out everytime I sit here. This make me happy. It is a simple little scene. But it warms my heart and lifts my soul to see such beauty in nature.
You see this scene is one of those moments that you "stop to smell the roses" type of thing, you know! We all must do it! We cannot let life drift away from us or bring us down!!

OK here is another one for you;
So for the summer time I work at my cousins sweet little italian restraunt in Dorset, MN the restraunt capital of the world (seriously it is search it if you don't believe me!). Here I work a few days a week to kill some of the summer time while I wait for my professioal job to start back up in the fall.
Here I also meet so many people on a daily basis. Many people that I have grown to love!

For two years now I have waited on a couple I would say that is in their early 60's that honestly I do not know how I can go a week without talking with them! Oh before I forget I must tell you they speak another language, a language I do NOT know! They are amazing! They honestly are. They are the kindest most caring people I have met in a LONG time! They are very sincere and I just love them!
Two weeks ago they made me cry out of joy, happiness. I am getting tears just thinking about it. The day prior I was chatting with them about the wife's hobbies...they are a retired couple. He was formerly the head of a American Sign Language School. She I believe worked in the school as well, but not positive. So they have taken up hobbies...she is into cross stitching. I said NO way can I do that! I am a scrap booker...she looked at me with amazement and said I scrap to! OMG so cool! I told them what I do in the industry,etc they were amazed with me...so I said that I would bring in a album for them to see what type of scrapping I do the next day.
So I brought in 4 albums as I couldn't decide which one at 6am that morn,LOL! They LOVED them! When they were done eating they sat for an hour looking at the albums...reading the journaling,etc. I would check on them now and again..and they would make comments about my DH and DS's,etc.
I went to the table one last time and the husband said many kind words to me that made me cry! He told me he could tell that I was a very wise and extremely intelligent person. That I was a very kind and generous soul and I was amazing, I was not only beautiful on the outside but beautiful on the inside. He said my wife scraps events YOU scrap life, feelings and moments, that is amazing! OMG I cried. There were other words said from them to me and me to them.
This couple has amazed me! I so wish that I could speak even more to them! As I mentioned I do not speak their language. I try and am slowly picking up bits and pieces here and there but not enough! You see this couple is deaf. They read lips and we are able to speak.
They have made me realize a few things. I have always known that I try to treat everyone the same no matter who they are or what there abilities are. I do not think of them or look at them in a any different light if they have something different than I. This couple is a prime example.
They are an amazing couple! They brighten my day just by seeing them walk in. They brighten my day when we chat. They brighten my day with a smile!
So many times in life we let things stand in our way of things. For this couple being deaf has not stood in the way of life, of who they are and how they treat others. To me they are someone to look up to and to admire!

Honestly you meet the most wonderful people in the least expected places. Its up to you to make a difference. Always remember to be yourself, be genuine. You never know who's heart you will touch. So come on ladies make this day a meaningful one!!

SKETCH CHALLENGE in the stand! I started a new weekly challenge. The rules are you create a LO using this sketch for you chance to win.

The weekly winners will get a sketch made from a LO in their gallery. And that sketch will be the next weeks challenge sketch. so on and so on.

You could even have your sketch featured in the newsletter. Each week you can upload as many LO's as you wish to the gallery and place a link in the http://thescrapbookstand.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=3469 <--Is a link to the sketch challenge threaad.
http://www.thescrapbookstand.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2579&cat=550<--Is a link to sketch challenge gallery.
Have fun with this! I cannot wait to see what you all come up with!

Blog Challenge day 3.

OK today tell us about your life...do you have a daily routine or is it total chaos?! This will aslo help to know you a bit more :)

Me
mine is different depending on the day! I never have the same routine and I hate that! Winter/spring/fall is best for me,lol....then we're on a schedule! up at 7am off to work at 7:45 work till 3 pick up boys head home. Check site. Supper. Chores. Site. Clean. Bed!

OK the above mentioned schedule really seems like it isn't hectic...but it is! I work the Truancy, the site, Mother, Wife OMG there is so much more!

Summer...Anyhow we do the usual eat, clean, chores, on the site, work, on the site, clean, eat, try to have fun somewhere in between that stuff,LOL! Summer is never it seems a set schedule of waking up, eating,etc.

I know during the summer we usually eat a MUCH later supper though. Especially when we are on the lake. It is nothing for us to eat dinner at 8-9pm...keep in mind we are not having breakfast until 10-11..which sets everything back!

OK gotta run! Oh and did I mention today is my Birthday!!!!!! Happy Birthday to me!

Day two Blog Challenge. Yesterday my friend Vanessa and I went to get our hair done then out to dinner. It was a great afternoon and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment!

I have only known Vanessa for about a year or so. And it was great being able to get to know her a bit more! We work together and of course you really can't get to know someone while your trying to get your job done...at least not very well,LOL.

Which all of this got me to thinking. How well do your friends KNOW you? Honestly? I would hope that mine know me well. But I have also heard in the past from a friend here and there (example) as we are eating and they say "I had NO idea you liked that?" And I think gosh where have you been? This is my favorite dish,LOL!

I have known so many people throughout my life thus far. And it dawned on me that I to do not know as much about them as I had wished to know...I mean after all aren't your friends supposed to know everything about you? Best friends that is?! Right? Boy I guess I must be doing something wrong then?

OK so for some of you who want to get to know eachother a bit more I have put together a questionaire for you to copy and paste onto your blogs as your next challenge. This should help us get to know you and me a bit more.

Oh BTW make sure to leave comments when you visit all the blogs.....its nice to read them now and then KWIM?! So anytime I stop by a blog I try to post a comment, small or large depends on the content! Oh also it enables others to just click on your name and take us stright to your blog to leave you comments!;)

1. How old are you? 33 tomorrow (22nd)
2. How many kids do you have if any? 2
3. Are you married, single, divorced, widow, SO Married
4. What is your occupation? Truancy Coordinator, Freelance Designer, Business Owner of www.thescrapbookstand.com
5. What are your passions? Scrap, Scrap, SCRAP! Photography and my family!
6. Are you a dreamer or a dream seeker? I am a dream seeker! Trying to make my dreams become reality!
7. Are you happy with the way you life has turned out? Yes I am. Although I like thousands of others would like to change things in the past to make life easier for today and the future. But I also realize that is not a possibility so I try harder for the future!
8. Are you a scrapper and if so how many hours a week do you scrap? Ugh this just makes me sick! I am a scrapper obviously. But I do not get near enough time to scrap any more! I hate that. It is my therapy and to not scrap is to not live. I must scrap in order to remain sane, happy, etc. I am going to change that very soon! Then I hope to scrap every day again! Maybe will have to get some challenges going on the site?
9. What do you want to do before you die? Travel to Italy. I dream of going there. Scrap every photo I have ever taken or been given so that my family has a beautiful lasting legacy.
10. What is your favorite food? watermellon
11. What is the food you hate the most? seafood,yuck!
12. What is the most embarassing thing that has ever happened to you? Hmmm well? I guess that would have to be something like while on the lakeboating, jet skiing,etc in the bikini...and well being a bit exposed. Not the entire @#($*# but close enough to make me want to just shrivel up and die under a rock,lol!
13. What is the happiest day of your life thus far? The day my children were born!
14. Are you a neat freak? Or a dirty house cleaner? I like to say I am a neat freak..but I never have enough hours in the day to be totally spotless. But it drives me insane to have the house look dirty, dirty clothes on the floor, dishes on the counter,etc. Would be great if I had others in the house that helped with out being a pain in the ars to do it. To bad I never had girls! LOL
15. What is the worst thing you have ever done? LOL OK I know I have prolly done much worse things in my life but this is what popped into my head....when I was little my parents never allowed us to have their soda. I recall days I would "fake" sick to be home all day. I would have several bottles of soda...the one day my Mother made an entire pan of fresh caramel rolls...so after eating about half of them and several cokes later I truly was feeling ill!! My Mother came home and almost made me go to school after seeing the rolls half gone...she said if you are well enough to eat them you are well enough to go to school....ROFLOL. I never did go in but I sure didn't make the mistake twice.

Today marks the first day of my blog challenge on www.thescrapbookstand.com I am excited for this daily challenge because as you look at my past posts...I really have been so busy to update daily. I want that to change.

Imiss being able to check back at my entries. As many know you forget things if they are not written down sometimes...I am one of those types of people...I have freakin notes EVERY where it seems,LOL!

Well the first challenge is to write about your favorite family memory and include a photo(s). So here is my photo. Not a good one but the best we could get having a stranger take our pic,lol! Either way it is nice to have this pic! We have VERY few photos with all 4 of us together.

The favorite memory is when we recently took the kids to Seaworld. OMG if you have not been to Seaworld you MUST go! It is my favorite place...amazing! I was sad that we had only planned to have one day there! So we were there literally the entire day that they were open. I know we still missed some things, but maybe another time!

We all had such a great time. There is honestly nothing better than being able to fully enjoy each other and enjoy what you are doing! It was a perfect day. I was able to get alot of good photos. That I have yet had the time to scrap (hate that) but I hope to some day!

We watched a couple of the shows...our favorite was the Clyde and Seamore (?) show...OMG it was so good we watched it 2x that day,LOL! We were (some what) bummed that we couldn't go up in the needle tower (not sure what its called) to see the entire seaworld. I am afraid of heights so I was OK with not being able to go due to the wind. OMG it was freaky looking up at it and seeing it literally swaying in the wind, Ackkk! LOL!

The weather was perfect. Warm with a slight breeze to stay the perfect temp! The day was perfect! The kids loved the sharks, whales, polar bears and dolphins. We all wanted to swim with the dolphins and feed the sharks but we couldn't find the area they were in. Honestly I do not know how we would have had the time to do them anyhow,LOL!

What a day...my knee did pretty good. Which was great because it allowed me to walk alot with a mediocre amount of swelling and bruising. And just a bit of limping. THe next day was hell though! Really bad as I think I pushed my self toooo much, I had bruising from the thigh to the calf area and swelling, major swelling. But I was able to fully enjoy the day at Seaworld!

OMG I almost forgot the McCracken ride,LOL....I cannot go on rides because I barf! So Jon and the boys went on it while I held everything waiting to snap some shots. Of which never came...dang camera batteries went dead! Argh! Anyhow we bought the photos that the cameras take, you know the ones they have mounted on certain areas of the ride. ROFLOL well we got the best photo ever from them. Jesse my poor jess man cannot handle rides to well either. But dad said you just have to try it cause I know you will love it. Well he enjoyed part of it but the photo says it all.......that He was scared to death! OMG the look on this poor childs face...people were walking past the photo area cracking joke about "this" photo and we look over to see that it was our jess man! Oh he felt so horrible...he didn't want to tell dad that he felt like barfing because he knew dad was so proud of him for going. And he didn't want to let him down. But he came to me and said "Mom I really didn't like the ride all that well and I really feel like throwing up" Oh my jessman I said...I am so proud of you! I told him to just keep breathing and think of something else and soon enough your mind will be off of barfing. He tried his best and did very well. ONly once in a while for the next 2hrs I had to ask are you ok. He never did upchuck thank goodness. but I am still so proud of him for going on the ride and staring fear in the face and saying I can DO it!

Ahhhh what a day,lol! I love every memory of it! There is so many more but I am sure you don't care to read a book,LOL! So for now ciao

SCHOOLS OUT FOR SUMMER!

OMG it has been forever it seems since I have made an entry! So much has gone on in the last month..where to even begin?

Well school is out for me..and summer vacation is here! I was so ready for a break from my Truancy position! A few short months ago I was actually ready to resign.....NO don't be shocked I say I am DONE every year around feb/march/april....because that to me is the busiest time of year. And the most emotionally drainging!!

I get to the point when I get sick of hearing the same stuff over and over. To have my job or any job in this field or directly related you MUST have some thick skin and a hardened hart I have been told. OMG I want to flip out on people when they tell me that!!! What the hell!

If I had a hardened heart how could I be any good at my job? Honestly? How could I? I CANNOT BE!!!!!!!! Some of my clients have raised themselves for years, have druggy parents who spend their life focused on drugs and their next fix instead of their children, kids who are neglected, abused-physically, verbally and sexually by their parents, family or family friends. Clients who are emotionally beyond my reach (and that kills me), clients who have or have had parents in jail or prison, many who are or have thought that they were or have been preggo and lost their babies both by man and by nature.

Many clients who just want someone to love them, show that they are worthy, someone to count on. SOMEONE!!! You all have NO idea how this kills me! I literally have tears right now this very second I am typing!!!!!!

I know I cannot save the world. I know that I cannot save every child I work with. I know that not everyone wants to be saved. I know that I cannot always reach every child I work with or come into contact with. I know that I as one person cannot. But I know that me, ME as ONE person can make a difference! Even if it is in only one childs life. It is worth all that I do! All the hell that I put myself through. It is worth the emotional upset!

So on this REALLY bad day, the day that I had a case of a child and Mother who just disappeared into thin air..many hours and days of searching, calls, etc I was told by someone (state job) that there really isn't anything that you can do...just wait to see if you hear anything. WHAT?!?! OMG I hate that! NO I don't want to wait! I want you to act NOW. Do something NOW! This really bad day was actually weeks later...about 3 to be percise. I had all this build up of emotional crap because I felt as though I am not good enough in my job...I cannot locate this Child and his Mother..and I was ready to give up!!!

So I sit in my office typing up my resignation. When all of a sudden from out of no where this person appears sitting in the chair in front of my desk saying "Well hello there stranger, how are you? I wanted for so long to stop and talk to you. I wanted to thank you for all that you do. I want to thank you for making a difference in MY life" She continued to tell me that my job and the work I do is very important. She also said that even though I may have not been able to help her immediately then....that I have helped her in years after I worked with her (insert more HUGE tears here)...that she is so grateful for all of that I do for all the kids I work with and all that I did for her because I CARE!!!!!!!! Did you hear that she said I care! I cared for her! I still care for her and each and every child I have ever worked with. She proceeded to tell me that she did have a child shortly after I dismissed her case...she did get her GED (I had that court ordered), but that she is doing well! She is a single mom who is attending college classes and working full time making almost 2x minimum wage and is trying to make a difference with her life and her childs life. She said I knew I could do it because you told me I could! You believed in me when no one else did she said, ugh can you believe it she let me make a difference in her life..she let me in long enough to teach her a few small things that would make a HUGE impact on her life!

At that point....she is still in my office and still talking about her beautiful baby and all the glorious reasons why it is such a great thing to be a Mother that I looked to my puter screen, glanced at the resignation. My mind drifted for a few seconds...thinking of this is why, this is why I do the job, this is why I care, and this is why I try...I hear her voice still speaking and I try to not show how emotional this is really making me! I try extremely hard to not cry in front of her. I try so hard! I wanted to just scream out my emotions...it was so difficult not to cry...I just smiled at her. At that moment she stopped smiling as if she knew what I was thinking...like she was reading my mind literally as I thought...and she smiled as she tilted her head as to say...I know! And at that very moment we just sat there smiling at each other feeling so complete until I looked down and saw my puter screen one last time. Within a split second I reached for the puter mouse and clicked the X. When the screen came up asking me do I want to save the new file...I looked at her smiled again and thanked her SO much for coming to tell me these things that she has NO idea how much it means to me to hear her say those wonderful things and I clicked DO NOT SAVE!!!

Then she was gone. As I sit there I felt so good. I just sat there thinking of one million and one things every second when I notice a teacher walk by my door..who turned back and was staring at me...he asked "everything ok?" and I say with a smile "yes, yes everything is ok, it couldn't be any better"

It is so hard! But to have one person come forth and tell me that I have made a difference makes it all worth it! And for now I will try my best to enjoy the vacation I have. Because I know that in 6mos I will be right back in the emotional hoopla of saying "why do I do this?" to only recall this very moment, this very conversation I had with this young Mother and to think to myself I know why!

Well if you all are still reading this I am amazed! LOL honestly I am amazed that you could listen to my long story! If you are still reading this you must be as caring as I! Why do you ask would I know you are as caring? Because this is not what alot of people want to hear..only the people who care and who try to make a difference would continue to read this! So with that said THANK YOU!!!! Thank you for caring!

Just remember that you NEVER know who you will make a difference in! So never give up trying. Never give up your compassion, efforts thoughts words and prayers because YOU can make a diffenece!!!

Boogie check out The Scrapbook Stand for an awesome photo of you and MJ :) Hugs!

I will update tomorrow I swear,LOL! I have some awesome step by steps for you all to use on the site!

OK got something that is so fun! I just got this in an email from a staff member and I could read it just like you are reading this right now! Perfectly! Weird...but not surprising...I have known this for a while and known that I can read this way...which makes it more weird?! I am an odd duck!!! LOL!

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid tooCna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 precnet plepoe can.i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs forwrad it.
k,LOL!!!!!

Frances Meyer Design Team Finalist......thats right...I am a finalist in their DT search! WOOHOO!! So stoked!
Fed Ex will bring a box soon and then we have 10 (?) days to create our items. Then I think 2 out of the 10 will be chosen for a DT position! Either way if I make the DT or not I am happy with the fact that I am a finalist in the top 10!!
I cannot wait to get the box and go to town creating!!!! So much fun it will be!!!! I love it!

Isn't he a little hottie... **Ana this is who it was not the other one you and Leslie were told it was, oops my mistake and isn't he MUCH better looking :)** OK so when I was in Vegas I went to a show. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->
little hottie was singing and OMG it was steamin in there,lol!
We made eye contact numerous times and ladies let me tell you that those eyes are AMAZINGLY dreamy up closer. Anyhow it was an intermission or what ever you call it when another performer comes out.
So I had to go to the lil' ladies room for a while...and just couldn't leave while he was performing! So off I go when he was done. As I came out of the BR it was a long hallway with NO one around. I hear something down the way. Look up and see a man in a white cotton dress shirt, baseball cap, {hot} jeans and a pair of cowboy boots.
I thought could it be?! NO what a dork I am for even thinking it could be him. So I turned away before he thought I was staring at him,lol and walked back in to the show to go get my purse (for another drink). Headed back out. I get to the bar order my drink.
And you know how you just FEEL it when someone is watching you?! Creepy I know. But its true you can feel it sometimes! So I looked around. And guess who was "watching" me?!
Uh YEAH!!! ME....well it was the same guy who was walking down the hallway when I emerged from the BR.
As I start to walk past. He doesn't take his eyes off of me the entire time I was out there. I am thinking OMG what kind of man is this....creepy...I hate it when people stare! You know!
I am now walking about 3ft from where he is sitting. He tips his hat and says "Did you enjoy the show".....I pause. Then say "I'm sorry"...he says "Did you enjoy the show"...I stop in my tracks.
I look really hard....and say "OMG were you just on stage?!"....he quietly laughs and puts his finger up to his mouth and says "shhhhhhhhh"...Oooooo I am thinking,lol!
So I said I LOVED your show! You sound amazing, you looked amazing, I cannot believe what a great show it was...thanks! He smiles and says "so, where you from" As I laugh inside about where I am from....I say Minnesota...and I say now before you make a joke about MN its not all bad,lol!
Well we chatted for a while and I enjoyed every moment of it! But we both had to go. I went back to my table to finish my other 1/2 of the drink and tell the other I was with that I had to go. It was the same night as the Scrapbook Answers "Fastest Crop in the West" and I had about 15 minutes before I had to be at the convention center for it as I promised Ana &b Leslie I would! So off I go....thinking OMG!!! What a hottie.
Yes I am married and I love him...but Wowsers Tim! LOL! Some days I don't think my DH would mind if I left him for Tim either,ROFLOL...depends on my mood...or his!
So anyhow after the crop I went back to the hotel to change for a night out at the "Ghost" bar with the SBA Editors. Missy and my parents said....Tim came back on and performed 2 more songs after you left...UH, MAN!!! And I missed it! That sucks....They said ya and he kept looking at your empty chair like he was looking for you and hoping you were there. Ahhhh! LOL! OMG Sorry Faith!
So thats it. Thats my Tim Mcgraw story in Vegas! He went somewhere. I went Scrapbooking,lol. End of story. I will always have Vegas memories ahhh. ROFLOL. Tim I will be your Faith any day ROFLOL!
OK ladies now for the truth about Tim. Well it was really Tim I saw and was really him in the entire story...but it was his impersonator,lol!!! Too funny isn't it. But I love telling the story like this cause everyone is like OMG!!
The fake Tim is every bit as amazing as the Real Tim! He really did sing, no lip sync stuff. He has been performing since he was 8yrs old. Lives in Vegas. Single ladies so for all you Vegas single ladies head on over to the Stars show at the Stratosphere. You won't be let down by his show!
So until next time Tim ;) Hehhehehehehehe gotta love it! Peace out chickiepoohs!

Cyber Crop April 22 from 12-8pm & 23 12-5pm www.thescrapbookstand.com!

Here is the latest information on the Cyber Crop this weekend! This is SOME of the prizes that will be given away! There is a FULL kit, paper packs, mat stacks, card stacks, photo turns, metal embellishments, tags, mini albums, tons of stuff from Chatterbox, Making Memories, pressed Petals, Paper Salon, Crate Paper, Nunn Design, DCWV, EK, Creative Impressions, K&Company...loads of stuff! OMG and Kathleen donated a FREE one year subscription to Scrapbook Answers Magazine & Disc...a SBA Babe Shirt of which I will say is totally rawkn'..so comfy and you just gotta have! See photo on previous post for a peeksy at what they look like;)

So come on ladies. Come and join us this weekend from 12-8 on saturday and 12-5 on Sunday central times. There will be challenges, games and lots of fun, loads of gifts/prizes. So go tell your friends about it...email them, call them, post about it on your blog or MB's?@! Up to you but spread the word. We hope to see you there!!!!
You don't want to miss out on our first Cyber Crop as new owners of The Scrapbookstand!

Sisters......I love this photo of me and Missy...the OLDER sister,lol! Inside thing between us :)...I posted this photo because it is a clue of what Kathleen Reilly has donated for the April 23 & 23 Cyber Crop at The Scrapbook Stand.com. You see the awesome shirt I am sporting? The SBA Booth Babe shirts.....well she donated 2 and also She has also generously donated FREE One Year Subscription to the Scrapbook Answers Magazine and disc!!! Can you believe that! Ladies I am tell you that you do not want to miss out on this crop that is for sure!!!!!

We have lots of other prizes to offer...such a FULL TSS kit, paper packs, card packs, mat stacks, OMG lots of items...from some of the following companies......Pressed Petals, Nunn Design, Creative Impressions, Making Memories, Paper Salon, Crate Paper, Chatterbox, Wild Asparagus & Kaleidoscope papers,etc... there is SO much its hard to name them all ladies you just have to come and play with us at the cyber crop on April 22 12-8pm and April 23 12-5pm! See you there!

THENA you are the bomb! OMG girl you know how to brighten someones day with your friendship!!!!! I *heart* Thena!

Ladies you can check out her digi blog to see what I am talking about. And OMG Thena I love the poem to! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! HUGS!

As all of you{lurkers} know, Thena is a wonderfully talented person. An amazing Author, beautiful scrapbooker, Very talented and well rounded kinda gal who is always there to give hugs, prayers and poems for all her friends and fellow scrapbookers!

Thena you are such an inspiring person to all of us! Thank you!

As I mentioned yesterday I was going to look for a new vehicle. Well I did. ALL day long! I got home about midnight! long day. But I think I found the vehicle for me! Not as new as I wanted but had everything I was looking for.
I was going to get a 07 Chrysler 300C and was going to close the deal until I talked to the "main" guy and got the price with new wheels....he was about 10yrs younger than I, seemed nice at first, then he stopped talking to me and spoke to others 6x while trying to close the deal with me. Insert very annoyed face here! Then he proceeds to tell me that the car wouldn't look good with the new wheels that 3 other people said they were the exact wheels the "main" guy had on it until last week ...was his demo car.
Then he tells me he won't sell me the car with those tires put on it.....um WHAT?!?!?! I was ready to hand over a check for $38,000 right there and go home with it...and he is telling me that he won't sell it to me with these tires....uh, ok?! So insert ticked face here! Then he is interupted but yet again!
He comes back and says why don't you just buy this....(another one I was looking at but didn't have the options I wanted) and I said NO I want this one! Then guess what.....HE IGNORED ME TO TALK WITH SOMEONE ELSE AGAIN!!!!!!!!
If it were my DH there......and not me......this NEVER would have happened! I told the salesman working with me I was ticked about how I was being treated and he was a dear! He tried and tried to get whats his name to focus. Finally I said I am done. I am going to go and continue my search for a new vehicle.....and I will be paying for it & driving it home today as I look at the main guy. And if he's not willing to sell me WHAT I WANT! I will go elsewhere. Salesman says we will take care of it....I left saying I will maybe be back but wasn't sure about due to the "main" guy!
So off I went to the dealership next door...and guess what I didn't go back to the "main" guy and also find out that he is the owners son...and has pretty much had everything handed to him...your typical "spoiled rotten kid"....well guess what! It is one spoiled rotten kid I am not giving my money!!!!!!! Show respect to get it buddy!
Am I the only one who has had to deal with this crap just because you want a {hot} car and you have more to your chest than them? It is crazy that this goes on! He made me feel that I was not WORTHY of anything there just because I was female! Oh and did I tell you all the other people he helped out were MALE! Oh and ya that he closed a deal with a male during one of those times he was closing the deal with me?! OMG!!!!

What a day!

Well I am having a crapola day! This is an email I sent to a friend a little bit ago. Needing a little bit of a boost if you will! LOL

Man what a day….woke up late like uh 7:30 and I normally leave at 7:45 Argh!! So had to take boys in to school…go tan then go home shower,etc and head to work….So I get out to the vehicle to go to work..and I have a FLAT TIRE! So I air it up thinking it is just low…noticed it had been lacking a bit anyhow.

Good right! NOT now I am on my way to work and I notice it is going low again. So pull in to gas station on outskirt of town. Make it 3blocks and guess what. Flippen flat again! By this time I was just beside myself! LOL.

So make it to the repair shop. They can fix it, YES! But I can’t get to work without a vehicle. So the owner says he’ll give me ride. I say thanks but it’s a beautiful day and I could use the fresh air to clear my thoughts. He smiles and says I understand.


So off I go walking to work…..2blocks away I see a “loose” dog! I think oh frick I am gonna get eaten alive! Thank goodness it didn’t see me and went on its way all the while my heart is a pounding,lol! Surprised it didn’t hear my heart it was so loud,hehehe!

OK so I continue on my walk to work when I just about got HIT by a passer by’er who was NO DOUBT watching my a@$! MEN! Oy Vey!! LOL….yes it was a younger man in a big truck. Sheesh!

Finally make it to work ALIVE! Which is a miracle in itself. So I get in to my door and sit at my desk, listen to my voice mail…OMG and there is like 10+ voice mail. Another strike against me….should go on a home visit due to one of the voicemails…but NO VEHICLE! Uhhhh!

Then I cannot get my computer to work,lol! So I finally get it after 30 minutes of screwing around with it..don’t know how I fixed it but it worked. Had some issues with the fax machine…..and finally cancelled my fax because it wouldn’t go through.

By this time I figure I need a break,lol! So I decided it was LUNCH time. Sure if I had money! OMG remember I don’t have my vehicle…it is in the shop. Well my money and cards,etc are in the vehicle. So I scrounge my desk drawers for some change….and came up with $2.23. So off to the cafeteria. And of course all the good stuff is more than what I have,lol. So I settle for a “processed” ham patty on a bun, can I just say Eeeeewwwwwwwwwwwww!!!! Really it isn’t good! So I could only afford a ham patty on bun, and a cola. Well guess what? I spilled my freakin cola on my freakin WHITE pants! OMG can I scream yet?!?!?! And all this is before 11:30!

So of course I cannot go home to change without a vehicle…and work with a bunch of teeny boppers who are of course fashionistic and socially unforgiving of such a thing. So I may have to hide out in my office sitting behind my desk for the entire day,lol!

And HEY..what else can go wrong?! PLEASE tell me nothing? Cause at this point I am thinking it is now only 12 and I have 3 hrs to go and that is just as much time as it took for all of the above mentioned things to happen!


OK sorry this is such a LONG email! But having a bad day I guess and had to get it off my big ol’ chest!

I hope you are having a better day than I am!!!!!!!

Anyone else have days like this?! LOL

We are currently searching for 5 new Design Editors at www.thescrapbookstand.com Do you think you have what it takes to be a designer? Are you a scrap addict? Do you love scrapbooking and have a passion for creating new layouts and projects? Then this is the place for you!

To be considered you must
A) Create 2 layouts, 1 altered item of your choice and 1 card then upload into the “Design Team Contest Gallery” on our site by midnight May 3. Anything submitted after will not be entered.

B) Be an active member on our message board

C) Email the following information to rori@thescrapbookstand.com
1. Name, shipping addy, email addy.
2. Please list any current design teams. Along with any galleries and message boards you are active on. Please provide a link and username(s) when possible.
3. As a member of the design team what do you feel you can contribute?
4. Tell us about your style?
5. What do you want us to know about you?
6. Why do you want to be on our DT?

DT Requirements:
Create 4 items each month with the featured kit. The items can be layouts, altered items and cards/tags. Each new member must be active on our message board and gallery. Help with contests, weekly or monthly challenges, cyber crops and celebrity chats. Promote TSS whenever possible. We don’t mind if you are on other DT’s but we do ask that you have loyalty to our site and not serve on any other kit club DT’s during your TSS DT reign.

Benefits:
A free monthly kit shipped to your door, discount on products while on the DT, recognition, prestige, use DT reign to build your scrap resume. DT will be offered first chance on new products for purchase.
This is a 6 month commitment. We will announce the 5 new members May 5 on the message board. So remember to check it often. You never know it could be YOU

OK ladies we are going to be holding a DT contest at www.thescrapbookstand.com for 5 new DT'ers. The details will be up tomorrow some time on the site. We are very excited and cannot wait to see the submissions. I am sure you will all make it very tough to decide.

Don't forget that we are also holding a cyber crop on the 22nd of April and the 23rd of April. We have lots of prizes and challenges in store. I hope to have some photos of some of the prizes up in the next week.

Also Leslie Ayers, Editor in Chief of Scrapbook Answers Magazine will be chatting live with us on Thursday April 27 at 6pm California time. This should be an amazing chat. Leslie is as much of a beautiful person inside as she is outside! Mark your calendar and stop in for the chat!

OK I am feeling so good about things lately! I started to work out again. I have been toooo flippen lazy FAR toooooo long!!!! So along with a few friends we are beginning work outs. Lots of cardio and then weight training for body definition. But of course I can never just go easy on it,lol!

I push my self to work out to much and then my knee acts up and then I am down and out of the workouts. I know I will never be normal again. But I would love to be able to run again! I so miss it! After 3 specialists telling me there is nothing they can do. Honestly it has been devastating on me. It has been almost 3 years since my accident. It has been hell! I weigh more than I have in my entire life time!!!

I used to work out 1-3hrs a day. And girlllll let me tell you I felt GOOOOOD! I am so lucky that one of my dear friends is a trainer. She is setting up some excersises for me to do and try to get the knee working a little bit so I can at least do stairs and simple things without feeling like a knife is in there. So we will see?! I started walking for some cardio...lol. And well it bothers the knee. So dont do as much. But walked tonight..only a mile and a half in your eyes but 10 miles in mine!!

Also got the boys into the mood to work out! So that will be fun to work out with them in the evenings a few nights a week! Love to spend time with my boys...and what a great way to do that! Keep eachother healthy and look good to. Plus summer is coming and we are major outdoors people. We live on a lake and have a cabin on a lake. So we are always in the water it seems....so they can get in shape for the summer of swimming, skiing, tubing, boating and jet skiing, biking, rollerblading, to name a few!

Such a summer person it is amazing I do not live in CA or FL or better yet Hawaii!

http://blogshares.com/blogs.php?blog=http%3A%2F%2Frorikoch.blogspot.com%2F&PHPSESSID=7b3788c4d8056586e728964cf823c744 Weird huh!

Work...work... work, Oy Vey! I'm into Court reports up to my eyeballs it seems. Doesn't leave much time to visit with my clients. And I hate that. I will handle the kids in crisis asap. But the others have to wait. I hate not having enough time to do all the work I must do...and unfortunately with the state making cuts I know I cannot hire someone to assist me. That sucks! But I will handle it.
MY weekend goals. Get my weekend goals by Sunday night I want to have 2LO's, 1card and 1tag done. I have 11 rolodex cards to finish though...and then have to get them packaged and in the mail for a swap I am in. Fun. Fun.
I have to also get 2 LO's done with the All About Me personal challenge I am holding on The Scrapbook Stand. Based on the {self centered} book by Pamela Lambi and Jennifer Lynn Moody. On Mondays I post. This Monday I will post the week #3 topic. I know we could do more than one LO a week. But I also know that there are others out there that work outside of the home (like me) and don't have much time to scrap. So should be a few month process to finish the album. But will be SO worth it in the end!
We are going to be holding a Design Team contest for www.thescrapbookstand.com and are just ironing out the details before we post. So if you are reading this. You are the first to know of it!! And may have a personal advantage ahead of the other scrappers out there! We will have a gallery set up for the contest. And everyone must upload LO's to it in order to be considered. We will prolly be chosing 5 new DT'ers. And have them start with the May Kit.
We hope to have the new April Kit and add on items soon! We had hoped the webmaster would have had them up 2wks ago. But did not foresee certain bumps. They are worked out now I think. And should be good to go soon :) Finally!!!
Well I am going out this evening with a friend. It will feel good to get away from the stress of work, scrappin, fighting kids, blah, blah, blah! Nice! We will go out to eat at the Goose Crossing in Park Rapids....Mmmmm love me some Outdoor Rotiseri Prime Rib...and the Rice Pilaf and bernat sauce Mmmmm good! Love it! Will go well with some drinks and freshly steamed veggies! LOVE it! Then we'll go to Zorbaz. Very neat place. My sisters friend owns it. I worked there years ago when it was called Chateau Paulette. Robb is a good {hot} looking single young man if any of you ladies are ever in the area;) He celebrated his 1yr anniversary in business on Saturday night. We won't go for that but will get to see some of the neat festivities that will take place. The dance floor is built up and was filled about a foot deep with beach sand. The life guard stands,etc all beach related of course to fit the theme of all the Zorbaz. Which are all on beaches. As is this one but Robb decided to bring the beach inside! He has a bikini contest on Saturday and tons more. Hmmm the bikini contest could be scarry,lol! I heard rumors of one gal who entered who really shouldn't have. I guess if you don't look good in it, don't wear it I say! Takes one {sexy} body to look good in a bikini.
What else will I do this weekend? Hmmm OH I will be going to a celebration for Bryan Dyrdahl at his Mothers home. What a great family! His Mother has attended every race he has been in. Bryan won his 3rd I-500 race. Bryan has been racing since he was a little boy. He is an amazing racer! Bryan had NO idea this celebration was taking place...it was a total surprise to him! TONS of people showed up for it. He took 1st place in points this season. My husband was in 2nd place for a long time...then well if you read my blog you would have read about him hitting another racer broad side going 100+mph in the I-500. He overcame that but ran into engine problems later and then lost points. Bummer! Bryan sits at the top again! So happy for him. Jon has been friends with him for some time now and he to is VERY happy for his wins! Bryan took home a $10,000 purse for the I-500. Nice huh! LO: but OMG the terrain you race in,OMG not this chick! LOL!!
OK well I have to get finished with work I only have a few hours to go. Ciao BeBe!

It seems like it has been forever since I have written anything in my journal! Time is just not my friend lately that is for sure!
Work has been so busy. This is the busiest time of year. And most days it seems I can barely remember my own name!
The website isn't ready to go and that is very frustrating! We wish we could do so much of the work ourselves but that isn't possible. And maybe that can change in time?
Scrapbook Answers Magazine....well what can I say I LOVE IT!! I am greatly honored to work with such amazing ladies. I am part of a flower feature coming up in the next months issue. That should be available April 25 on newstands across the US...some over seas but not sure how much?
Maybe Ana can help out on that one? Are you there girl?! Give a shout out...and I do hope you are feeling well. I haven't heard back from you in a while...wazzzzz up chicky?! Miss ya :) I know you to are swamped! And I hope you have had some time to get back to your healthy self.
My oldest is home today ill. Poor thing. Came upstairs this am as I am ready to walk out the door and says "I just threw up, Mom".....Uh, Eeewwwwww! I am so glad that he is a teen and can take care of himself when he is sick like that! LOL I am not good at handling that type of stuff! There is a reason I am NOT a nurse or doctor!!!! Either way. I am at home today working on court reports for next week.
I cannot wait for summer time! It is not certain what I will be doing? I haven't fully decided? My cousin has a little restraunt in Dorset. La Pasta....she makes some out of this world manicotti, chicken fettucini, chicken genovese! Oh and the jambalaya (sp)! I may work for her a few days a week again this summer. I did last year and what a blast! But of course I have to MAKE time to enjoy and relax in the summer! Thats one great thing about living on a lake that I love....I don't have to travel to enjoy it!
Its great having summers off! What a perfect time to rejuvenate the soul after a LONG hard winter in my job I need it!
Work has been so stressful lately I am to the point that I have been thinking of resigning?! But I won't. Its funny how everytime I feel like throwing in the towel with this job I have some former or current client come to me and thank me for helping them, or caring for them and that I am the only one they feel has ever cared for them and truly wanted to help them. A small bit of thanks for caring about me.....gets me along in my job in a BIG way! Keeps me plugging away. Thinking THAT is why I keep on going, no matter the emotional stress it puts on me. Its worth it! Even if its just one persons life that I help change for the better out of 50. I will do it! I will be there for them! I will be there for you!
I will post later a story about my non-winning CBX MIM album. See how you could save a life by reading it. I hope it has a HUGE impact on your life as it has had a life changing impact on mine.
Gotta get back to work for now........