I'm back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CHA was a blast!!! I had so much fun bonding with my girlfriends Tisha, Tabitha, and Shannon! I had never met Shannon before, but we had talked on the computer and phone... but it was as if I had known her my whole life!! And, of course, Tisha and Tabitha are local to me, but I never get to see them enough!! We also met Jenn from Scrappinchicks!

We even got into town to see the city (thanks to Shannon... so glad she drove down to meet us!!). We went to Windy City Scrapbooks (awesome store!!!), Margie's Candies (still the best hot fudge EVER!!), the Navy Pier (the pic of Tisha is from the ride!), and did some shopping downtown, including the American Girl store. I can't wait until both of my girls are old enough to make that trip! Shannon dropped us off in town after the pier, and Tisha, Tabitha, and I rode the El back to Rosemont!

Anyway, I met so many fabulous people!!! The pea gathering was fun! I even got to crash the CK reception with Tisha (who was actually invited!). And I loved walking the floor! Did some ordering for Scrappinchicks, but mostly just oooohhhhed and aaahhhhed over all the beautiful new scrapbook supplies! And networked!!!

So, I'm happy to have gone, but even happier to be home now. I really missed my babies!!!

Happy Birthday!!!!

My baby turned one today! We had her party last Sunday... nothing too big and overwhelming, just our close family.

She sure did enjoy her cake!

I feel guilty that I am so lucky...

Truly, I do mean this. I must take the time to thank God a few times a week for allowing me to be born in America. Not only that I am American, but that I live relatively comfortably, that I have a good husband, good family, and two beautiful children.

I feel guilty sometimes to have all of this. Proud, but guilty. Why, you ask, should I feel guilty?

When I look at what is going on in the rest of the world, I do feel guilty. I am conflicted. I live my life in my own little world, full of my family, career, hobbies... and then I look at all that is happening in the real world... the big picture. It's disturbing.

How can I go about my day to day activities and pretend like there is nothing happening in the Middle East? in Africa? in Indonesia? in North Korea? or any third world or developing nation? Again, feeling guilty that America is the cause for much of the unrest in the Middle East.... I know I did not make the choice to invade Iraq, but I am a part of the nation that did.

I recently watched part of Farenheit 9/11. I had to turn it off. I literally bawled my eyes out for nearly an hour after I did... it was awful seeing what happened to innocent children... I couldn't help but think of my own and how tortured I would be if anything happened to my babies! And to see how our troops have been forced to cope with the stress of war... ugh!!! So glad my husband does not have to fight over there and that I don't have a son old enough to do so. That documentary is a brilliant piece of propoganda. It had the desired effect of making me feel angry, disturbed, and extremely guilty....

I'm having nightmares, too... since before seeing the documentary, I have had recurring dreams that my country has been taken over by terrorists. Women have no rights, even being told what to eat and wear. And we are not allowed true contact with our children... I always wake up from these and have difficulty falling back to sleep.

Yet, here I am, still self-absorbed and living my life in my own little world. How do I react to what is happening? What can I do? I don't think I can change foreign policy!

I wrote a letter to former President Bush (when he was in office... I was in high school.) I actually coplimented the way he had managed the Desert Storm conflict in Iraq, comparing him to such great presidents as Jimmy Carter with specific references to foreign policies. Do you know what I got back? A form letter that had NOTHING to do with what I had written about. That was enough to disinterest me from spending 3 days writing such a monumental document and sending it off the the circular file ever again!!! It really burst my idealistic bubble to know that my letter did not deserve a true response.

I have a friend who lives in Israel. She actually has dual citizenship both in America and Israel. She lives there with her husband and 4 children. I worry about her. I asked her when she told everyone she was moving over there if she was afraid, and she said no. Well, now I am afraid for her.

I am tired of seeing images of death and destruction on TV.... and don't know what I can do to stop the chaos in this world.

So, I guess I will continue to live in my happy world, as most of us do, and pretend that these conflicts don't exist... except when I pray at night. And I will continue to hold my children close... and hopefully, I will figure out a way to change the world eventually....

Such a little diva!!!

This behavior started in the womb... I actually have an ultrasound picture with her hand resting on her forehead as if to say, "Enough pictures already... I need to rest!!!"

And this is how Anna relaxes in the pool. Without fail this summer, she has whined to lie on the raft every time we have gone swimming. We attended a BBQ in my in-laws neighborhood, which we attend every year every July 4th, and one of their neigbhors has a pool. It wasn't long after Anna got comfortable on the raft that she drifted off to sleep. I had to take a snapshot!

Wooohooooooo!!!

The top 30 finalists (including the 3 winners and 5 HM's) in the Junkitz Designer Draft were posted yesterday!!! I was THRILLED to be among the 22 finalists. Sure, I didn't win a spot on the DT, but I feel like a winner just being a finalist!!

So, thanks, Stacey and team, for making me feel like a winner!!! YAY!!!!

A 2 pager!!!

I shocked myself with this, really.... I used to do all 2 page layouts, but have pretty much done only one pagers for quite some time now! But last night, when inspiration struck, I could only think of 2 pages!!! I knew I had to scrap these pics of my dd playing in the sprinkler!!

I used Kelly Panacci for Sandylion patterned papers, Gin-X coaster flowers, Doodlebug letter stickers, and buttons by Doodlebug and Foo-fa-la. Sorry about the crummy scan... it was very lumpy!!!

In other news, Anna has quite taken to this whole walking thing. After much practice since she began taking steps at 10 months, it has finally become her preferred mode of transportation (that is, if Momma isn't carrying her!!!)

Whew!!

I received an e-mail from Debbie Hill with Junkitz to let me know that they did receive my entry!! (thank you for doing that!!!) Now I can return to my regular nail-biting with the rest of the entrants!!!

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Here's a layout I just just did with the April kit for Scrappinchicks. Papers are by A2Z. The sketch for this layout is posted on Scrappinchicks as part of our cybercrop we had on June 25th. TFL!!!

In other news, I am absolutely CRUSHED that I did not receive a confirmation e-mail from my Junkitz Designer Draft entry.... I just read on 2peas that we were supposed to get one, and the web site confirmed it. So, I may have done all of that work for nothing!!!! I have e-mailed them, so, hopefully I will hear something tomorrow... keep your fingers crossed that they got my entry please!!!

Ahh... the young ones are oh so wise...

So, I took my older dd (who is 4 1/2) to the mall the other day so I could shop, and she could play. We strolled through Express, and my dd saw the shorts on these models here hanging up on the rack.

"Mommy!!! Look!!! They have Anna size shorts here!!!"(Anna is, of course, her 11 month old baby sister!!!) Yes, they do have Anna size shorts, Kendall. Yes, they do!!!

She had me cracking up!!! *sigh* My body USED to be the right type to fit the clothes in that store!!!

The Dares!!!

I finally did one!!!

"Are You My Mother?"

Journaling reads:
*Anna, when you were born, I thought it took the nurses forever to bring you to me. When your sister was born, I held her and nursed her right away. But since you were born by c-section, the doctors and nurses had all kinds of things they had to do to me before I could hold you. *I often wonder what you must have been thinking about during that time, wondering yourself if all of the people holding you and doing things to you were your mother. The doctor held you, your daddy held you, several nurses held you, and I think even a grandma or two all held you before I did. Were you asking yourself if they were your mother?*I was grateful for that moment about 3 hours after you were born when I was finally able to hold you. For I am here, I will always be here, and I am indeed your mother. And I love you very much.

Supplies: Patterned paper (KI Memories), Cardstock (Bazzill), Ink (Colorbox), Staples (Target), Transparency (Apollo), Ribbon (recycled from a baby gift), Rub-on letters (Making Memories), Embroidery floss (DMC).

OK, I have to admit.... I cheated. I had done this layout a couple of months ago, but it totally fit this dare of using a book title for your layout title. And it's one of my favorites that I've ever done!

The ladies who do "The Dares" are amazing, and they have inspired a whole new aspect of scrapping challenges!!! Thanks for your inspiration, ladies!!!

Identity reality...

I wouldn't call it a crisis... more of a realization. I cleaned out my underwear drawer today. I know, not such an interesting topic, but it had to be done!!! And I got rid of everything I could wear pre-baby #1, saying good-bye to all of those pretty things I used to fit into! Very sad... but I was running out of room in that drawer. And since, well, let's face it, the newer models are larger in more than one aspect, I really needed that space!

I kept hanging on to those old pieces thinking that I'll fit into them again one day!!! But IF (and WHEN) that ever happens, all of the elastic will have dry-rotted anyway!!!

The other piece to this realization.... I disposed of all of my maternity underwear. I have officially given up on the fleeting thought that I might have another child someday!

This is a good thing, though, since I did partially replenish my undergarment wardrobe at Victoria's Secret yesterday. (you know they are having a sale, right?) My dh balanced the checkbook last night. He was very curious to find out what I had spent $$$ on in that store!!! It was all very necessary, I assured him. As my younger dd approaches her first birthday (next month), and my nursing days are *almost* over, I needed new bras! Ones that don't open in the front or have huge front hooks that show through my clothes!!! Ahhhh.... I see the light at the end of the tunnel!!!

Hopefully soon I will start feeling more like a wife, and less like a mother. I love being a mother, but my dh would much prefer to have at least part of his wife back!!

Sorry, but there won't be any pictures about this!!!! And, if you made it this far, thanks for reading my story!!!

I'm throwing my hat in the ring....

For the Junkitz DT contest again. I have 2 dream teams.... Junkitz and KI Memories. Yes, there are many fabulous manufacturers out there who have wonderful products, but of the biggies, these are the two whose products I use most.

Anyway, I sent my entry already... and I'm keeping my fingers crossed!!! I know I have lots of talented competition!!!

Otherwise, I haven't done much in the way of submitting!!!

Form vs. Function

What a conundrum. I remember being asked to compare form and function in my AP English class in high school.... I struggled with the concept then, trying to figure out why the comparison was important in the first place.

Then it hit me... my "eureka" moment... FORM is what makes FUNCTION enjoyable (or not!). It is what drives creativity, innovation, and opinion. For example, you have a chair. A place to park yourself and take a rest. The chair could be simple, wooden, and hard... or it could be the latest and greatest Lazy Boy ever (same function, but which sounds more comfortable to you?).

The same is true for the art of scrapbooking... most of us started with our interest in photography. We could have settled for storing our photos in albums, or we could put them in a book with memorabilia and some words about the pictures... the advent of the scrapbook!!! And then, as we know, the concept morphed into its own artform! Same function.... displaying photos... but better form. The evolution of this artform has been fun to watch. I, at least, continue to play with form... better photos, new ideas, more mixed media... it is FORM that drives ART.

Just a few more pictures from our trip!!! The first and last images are again using Amy Howe's conversion!

Beach Flowers!!!

While on vacation on the Outer Banks, we stayed in a house on the Village golf course. The landscaping was gorgeous, with lots of beautiful flowers to capture!! Here are a few. I used the color conversion that Amy Howe shared in the May Basic Grey newletter for these.

Updates!!!

I have updated my links on my sidebar... I've added a few more blogs (most you know, I'm sure!) and a new website. I believe the ad inspiration site was started by a pea, but for the life of me, I can't remember who (someone please help me here!). Anyway, it's a great source of inspiration (as its name suggests!!).

Also, I've updated my links to both Tisha's and Tabitha's blogs. Tisha's is now linked to her photography web site, and Tabitha's is now being hosted by Scrap That Moment, a new e-zine she is now designing for. Yay, Tabitha!! (so happy for her!!!)

Enjoy!

This is a sad day....

OK, I can't be the only one who will sincerely miss Katie Couric on the Today Show. I will miss seeing her every morning!

I have so many memories of significant events attached to her delivery of the news, including the tragedy of 9/11.

I will follow her to CBS, though, now that Tom Brokaw is no longer host of the NBC Nighly News.

Anyone watch her farewell show this morning? I almost cried at the end... but I'm glad I got to see it!

Somewhere over the rainbow....

This was a spectacular site on my vacation to the Outer Banks!!! This rainbow was SO HUGE!!! As I left the Avalon Pier to drop off my older dd to go fishing with her dad, I spotted it. It was hard to miss!!! It was so large that it seemed like you were driving straight into it at the end of the beach road. And even more so on the bypass road.

As I drove further down toward the house we were staying in, you could see the full arch of the rainbow, as well as a second arch!!! Yes, a double rainbow!!!

Of course, I didn't have a camera by my side that time.... so the only spectacular images are in my mind. By the time I got to the house, the sun had nearly set, and this was all that was left.

I'm cheating...

On my mascara!!!

I am a tried and true Maybelline Great Lash user.... but I am easily swayed by the latest and greatest mascaras advertised. But I always go back to my favorite.

You see, I am hugely challenged in the eyelash department. In addition to them being blonde, they are not so long or full.... thus the need to wear it pretty much any time I leave the house!

So, my latest purchase is the new Cover Girl mascara... the one with the new purple brush. We'll see how great it works.... but, shhhhhhhhh.... don't tell my pink and green friend!!!!

It's good to be home!

I have been at the beach this past week (on the Outer Banks of NC, to be exact!).

We had a super great time... my baby simply adores the beach, just like her big sister!!

I will post photos soon!!!