Saturday surprise

This is what I received on Saturday. Dean coming in the door with this priceless look on his face lugging a handful of flowers. The vision was pure delight, especially since it's really not his thing. He is after all the non-romantic type. He said: "they caught my eye at the store and I thought you would like them".

How cool is that!!

I love this type of surprise!! So uncharacteristic but so appreciated by the recipient.

So Brave -page

Transparencies galore on this page. The quote at the bottom left is befitting for Shea. She just looks fear in the face with courage, perseverance and strength from one moment to the next.


Eleanor Roosevelt:
You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.

Shea with her long locks in May 2007

Sweet Shea. when her hair was long last April. On my last visit to Chicago in December, Shea said to me "when I show my friends these pictures of me they think it's another girl. They don't believe it's really me."
I could only think of this response by saying: "of course you are the same girl Shea. It' not what's on the outside that makes you , you. It's what in your heart and when you show that person who you are on the inside they will know you are the same person. Your hair is not what makes you who you are sweetie, it's your beautiful heart. She looked up and gave me a little nod with a half smile. So sweet this girl and so intuitive in her understanding of things we tell her. Like an old soul.

My little guy

My valentine number #2 . He's such a cute dude!

Unfinished work

I was so inspired to use these colors that I actually didn't even have a photo to jump start the process like I usually do. It just kind of developed as an idea about journaling more and evolved from a web template I saw online. This interpretation is almost literal in its design.

My Valentine

With all the scrapbooking I do, dh was wondering where he was in this grand plan of a hobby. So nice that he wants me to document us together. Really, I only have 2 other pages about us. I know shame on me!!

Observation #2

A page depicting a more general outlook with words that speak to me. I love to gain knowledge and pride myself on perseverance and determination with life's ups and downs.

Being true to myself

One of the goals I've made for myself this year is to document the things that matter most to me personally. Observations that are on a philosophical level so to speak. This page represents my first entry on one of my thoughts. I want to cultivate the ability to stay true to myself even in difficult situations and in particular pay attention to the situations that present the window where one can compromise there beliefs or values for another or any other multitude of reasons. I don't intend to nor want to compromise my value system in any way shape or form. So to this self searching journey and quest for betterment I will post some of my pages that are more like a journal to myself of what I want and need to remember. I also hope to challenge myself to have more courage and journal my inner thoughts by putting them down in written form. The only hurdle I have to this sole searching activity is I tend to get these wonderful revelations very late at night when the lights are out (bedtime). I guess I need to make more trips to the loo as well as keeping a pen and pad in there....lol

Wish me luck my friends!

Pure Confidence

This picture was taken on Troy's 7th birthday just before he was to go into the field of the Joliet, Illinois stadium with hundreds of people watching him throw out the first pitch of the game. It was a regulation distance throw which he and I practiced all morning to do. He wasn't the least bit nervous. He loves this game so much that it wouldn't surprise me if he made it a career. He truly is talented!

The idea for the page came from a scraplift from Beth Hooper (I think)? that's her last name. Sorry I can't giver her a proper credit.. Please forgive...

Something really scary!!!

Here is my self-deprecating "look at what I have to go through for the sake of beauty" (????) uhem... self esteem may be more like it? I may look like some "into the future electricity conducting comic strip character but in the end it's all worth it! OK! So I'm not this blonde anymore! Argh!

Before and

After

Little Miss Shea at 4 years old

Baking Christmas Cookies with Shea and Troy

A boy and his dog

My spring/summer garden

Making this tag was a fun treat for myself. Not only do I like the format but it pushed me to learn more about the software I use (photoshop CS3). Ususally my work in CS invovles photo post production and I use my text art/design in the Adobe InDesign program. Recently, I've been getting into more creative text for my pages and want to branch out. What's next for me??? I want to learn more about creating paths to write on. Check back for some pages using this tool. ;)

Cousins and friends

Getting around to posting some pages I did over the weekend.

New fun page

This one makes me want to laugh everytime I see it!

First picture of Dean and I in 2008 taken while my camera was proped on a bread basket.

I read a quote today that makes sense to me and fits within my word (possibility) for this year.

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."

-Walt Disney-

Setting some goals too go with it.

Favorite pics of 07'

Just a few of my favorite images taken in 2007! I love so many that involve my family that it's really hard to choose but I digress and submit to you some that have made me smile!

It's a new year

Thankfully, my energy level is pretty high in this first stretch of the new 2008 year. I've made plans in my head of a few new and not so new "to do lists" of what I want to accomplish this year. Some have been on every years list while others are wishes more easily obtainable. The short of it all is;

1. To paint and re-decorate our master bedroom (furnishings and all)!
2. Have more time for crafting and playing.
3. Spend more time with loved ones.
4. Think of strategic possibilities for achieving mine and my husband's goals
5. Have a baby
6. Paint the outside of our house. (needs it so badly)
7. Pray more and stay focused on God.
8. Less worry and more productivity
9. Make a positive difference in someones life
10. Finish designing and crafting a book of my everyday life experiences (I know, boring) and daily lessons learned (hoping to learn from myself) lol ...... and to start and finish a new children's book I'm committed to writing.

My word for this year is POSSIBILITY and I do think all of the above are possible but even though as I may be tempted to say; wish me luck, I believe that number 7 is going to come in as a necessary practice!

2007 Christmas tree

Better late to post than never. This was our Christmas tree that sadly was taken down and thrown out yesterday. It's so bittersweet to trash something that brings such joy for a period of time.

Aside, from the labor and additional space it requires when it takes resident, I do feel a sense of melancholy to its eventual fate. We can say "It sure was pretty and the smell of evergreen throughout the house was refreshing and inviting while we displayed it." So for all the complaining of how BIG it is and how LONG it takes to decorate it usually comes down to this .... it really truly was worth it, even until the end.

I somehow think I 'll say the same thing I do every year before we get "the tree."

"Honey, does it really have to be so BIG!"

To answer what your thinking...yes that is the star embedded into the chandelier..?