and another month goes by

without a blog post...lol!
How do you guys do it? Blog regularly?
I think about it a lot...but then something or someone seems to get in the way of my having the time and freedom to sit at the computer for anything longer than to check emails or facebook. Perhaps now that Brian is home for a bit and we are no longer planning a Spring break surprise trip things will slow down a bit for me.
In fact, they already have in a way.
With Brian not home, it's constant go go go for me but having him here allows myself to operate at a slightly slower pace...which isn't necessarily a good thing either...lol! He is taking care of the house work and laundry during the day so after a day at work, I just need to worry about supper really. He's even been doing a lot of the driving to volleyball so I can stay home in the evenings.
You'd think that with my new found freedom, I'd have all the time in the world to scrapbook, work on home reno's, workout, and blogging....but I don't! So, what am I doing instead? Some days, I'm not sure the answer to that question....seems I am busy doing a whole lot of nothing...lol! I'm sure some (or all) of you know what I mean by that.
I've got a mix of Spring fever (sure wish Mother Nature would get that feeling and end Winter already) blended with a sense of urgency to get some major projects outta the way with grad less than a month away. So any "spare" time I have in the next few weeks will be spent tying up those "to do's"
I will share pics of them when they are done.
I'll also share photos from our surprise family vacation to Disney World!
In an effort to get a few more things highlighted off the list, I'm outta here!

hellooooooooo...helloooooo....hellooooo

Whoa...perhaps I should give up this blogging thing...does anyone even still read it? It's been an awfully looong time since I posted anything.
Truth be told...I came to several times..thought I had some good topics to blog about but just can't seem to make the time to sit at the computer and get anything written.
Life is incredibly busy at our house...as I'm sure it is for you too...seems to be the way for most. Brian has been gone since the 3rd of January! This leaves me to juggle the boys' schedules, the running of the house and my full time job...which is why I just can't seem to make the time to sit here long enough to get anything written. I haven't scrapped too much in the last couple of months either.
I am thrilled to share that in amongst all the busy, I have made myself more of a priority since the beginning of the year...eating healthier and working out has helped me to lose almost 15lbs so far. People are starting to notice which makes me want to keep at. I sure hope Brian notices as I've lost it all since he left.
The 2 older boy's club volleyball seasons have been in full swing for some time now. Between the 2 of them, we have 9 tournaments freeing up only 3 weekends from the end of January till after the May long!! See why I have no spare time...lol! As if that wasn't enough, I signed the 3rd son up for a weekly volleyball program with the hope he'll learn enough to make the Jr. High team in the fall. I guess maybe when the all leave home, I'll have time to scrap and blog! I did make time on a Monday we had no school to go to the spa with a friend and finally use the gift cards I got for Christmas in 2008 and 2009!
All of a sudden, graduation is just a couple of months away...and with hosting a houseful, any spare time I have had has been spent trying to finish up odds and ends of projects around here. The biggest right now is the kitchen cupboards.
Sometimes, I wonder why I start such projects...lol! Guess I should take my son to get a suit too! I'll leave my outfit shopping until closer to the event in order to buy something another size or 2 smaller ;)
I hope you are well...staying safe and warm with this long cold winter we've been experienced (which by the way...I am so over..as are you I'm sure...lol)

can it be?

I have had some time to get reacquainted with my creative side and boy did it feel good! Like therapy...maybe not cheaper but way more fun!
this layout was for a "think inside the box" challenge

these were some street performers we saw on our 2nd trip to Vegas

a shot of some houses in "the Hills"...pic taken from Universal Studios

one of our fave hot spots on the Vegas strip...more so mine than Brian's as he's not into country music but he sure does enjoy his "Toadsuck Pond" and "deep fried snickers"

this was what I came up with for a "gift card holder" challenge...it's for out librarian at school who is also a great friend



this one is pretty special to me...we were at our family reunion last summer and the family members that organized it, had balloons, pencils/paper strips and helium for us to write a note to those loved ones no longer with us. Those of that wanted to sent our letters off towards heaven...

transitions

So far our 2011 has had a few...
The boys and I are transitioning into a new routine without Brian home on a regular basis. He is sub contracting waaaay up North and we likely will not see him til mid March at the earliest. There's still hope he can come home for a few days over the family day weekend. The boys and I have a day or two extra off from school then so the timing would be great. So far, the boys and I are adjusting well. However, the club volleyball season is just getting started and that will impact the routine we have gotten into!!
Personally, I've been making the transition to a new healthier way of living and it's gone better than I expected it might. Since the 3rd of January, I have only missed one day of exercise and have had one really bad day as far as staying withing my daily caloric intake. How do I know this, cause I joined a site called myfitnesspal.com. (I stumbled across while googling the calorie contents of something I had eaten and wanted to enter into this "lose it" app I had for my phone.) Turns out this website is pretty intensive and full of info...and they have an app too!! I also recently discovered that my friend Vanessa is a member and it has helped her to be very successful. :)
Looking forward to some successes of my own!
Another transition, directly related to the one above, is going from plus size clothes to regular sized clothes? I have no idea how to do this...I've googled size charts and that has given me some info but not enough to feel comfortable. The reason this is important and bugging me all at the same time is, I want to buy a really nice pair of jeans...goal jeans...in a few sizes smaller (as incentive) but don't want to buy them and have them still be too small after I've lost 30-40 pounds...kwim? I would feel sooo bad about myself if they didn't fit. I've heard people say: 10 pounds between sizes but doesn't the size you wear depend on bone structure too? And if you are toning/building muscles? Awe man...I am so confused...lol!
My role at work has changed slightly for the next month and it has not been the easiest transition. It's added some extra stress in my day...good thing I have my workouts I can use as stress release!
My year will have a few more "major" transitions whether I like it or not. I'll worry about those as the time comes!

Looking back

2010 would be comparable to what I would imagine being on a roller coaster would feel like...full of ups and downs, twists and turns... feeling like you are twisting into a knot...
bright spots for us included:
* a second trip to Vegas for Brian and I
* being asked to continue on at my job (after being let go)
* more camping...including a great time at the family reunion
* attending a cousins wedding
* getting some landscaping done
* lots of time just hanging with the boys
* everyone stayed quite healthy
* Zack getting his drivers lisence
* celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary
* watching the Olympics
dull moments included:
* Brian being forced to change jobs
* Reilly having 12 baby teeth pulled at once
* Zack getting his drivers license (LOL)
* being told there was no money in the budget to keep me on staff
* not getting as much done around the house/yard as I would have liked
* the boys being boys...they can be sooo mean to one another
* not enough scrappy/crafty time for me
All in all 2010 was decent...could have been way worse I guess!

I was kinda sorta successful with my 2010 one little word: Organize. Will be a constant work in progress I think! My word for 2011 is Change...I need to change the way I deal with change as this year is going to be full of them. Some totally out of my control so I better figure out how I am going to cope! A few are of my own doing...healthier lifestyle changes being at the top of the list!

I would love to hear what some of your highlights were last year and what you look forward too in 2011!

Blog much?

Obviously not since it's been 2 months since the last post!!
Wish that meant I had lots of exciting things to blog about now though...sadly, most of what's been keeping me busy is...well..life! It's busy but good!! I do complain now and then about it all but the truth of the matter is, I really do love it, so I guess I need to close my mouth and carry on...lol!
So,what is it exactly that we've been busy with? Volleyball mostly...both Zack and Reilly played for their school teams this fall with Zack helping to coach Reilly's team. That kept us busy at least 4 days a week plus tournaments on weekends...sometimes they both played so it meant running back and forth to both...if possible. Thankfully, Brian was home most weekends so we would divide and conquer. Both boys finished in the top two of their school leagues, which meant they went on the Regionals and Zones respectively. Each of them brought home bronze medals...the best thing about that was there was no way one cold bug the other as they finished their seasons on an even keel. Once the school season ended, club tryouts began. Zack wants to play on a club team so bad this year as it's his last year so rather than putting all his eggs in one basket and maybe not making the team he payed for last year, he wanted to try out for 3 different teams!! This was a lot of driving to the 3 different cities and some late nights but that's ok...it's what moms do right. He has a spot on his team from last year and has one last tryout for the team he really wants to play on...fingers crossed!! Reilly is trying out too but the age group is U16. He is really only U14 but since they have no team at the age, he is giving it a shot. He can hold his own on the court but we'll see if he makes it. He's happy just to have gone to the tryout for the experience.
Carsyn is waiting till January to start a weekly volleyball skills program in the hopes of making the junior boys team next year. Gavin would love too also but is a bit too young still.
Halloween was awesome this year...as you may know, it's Brian's favorite holiday. We found a new store called Spirit Halloween...it had the most amazing costumes and decorations! I was actually really surprised how many Halloween stores opened up this year. Here are some pics....





the older 2 stayed home to hand out candy and scare kids...lol

In school news, graduation prep has started for Zack...I am sure I was just at Kindergarten orientation...how is is possible he is graduating? Having a bit of a hard time with that. Last week, he brought home a book full of grad rings...he has designed one that suits him to a tee. He has also changed his thoughts on taking a year off of school to work. He wants to go straight to college and pursue a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in either Bio or Chem. It's very exciting and sad all at the same time...definitely bittersweet!! The other boys are all doing well academically as well. My job is going great...any reservations I had at the start of the year regarding my assignment quickly vanished once we got going. I will be very sad if they don't ask me to continue with him though grade 2, 3 and 4.
Brian had switched jobs this summer to one that had him home more...loved that! However, he was not enjoying the work at all. So, we've gone back into business for ourselves. He is much happier and although it means he's gone again, I would rather have him come home happy on his days off. Besides, we've lived like this for a long time so it's not been that much of an adjustment.

In other exciting news (I think...lol), Zack passed his road test and is now a licensed driver!

Christmas is fast approaching and I am hosting this year...lots to get done between now and then. Thank goodness we have some time off the week before cause I am going to need a few full days!! Might not have been too bad but I started redoing the kitchen cupboards a couple of weeks ago and have had no time to get them finished...they look better than they did but primer white wasn't what I had in mine...lol! Need to get that done on top of all the usual holiday stuff.

No time like the present, so I guess I'll go and tackle something.