Student Loans

OMG... Well I finalized my student loans for the 2012-2013 school year today. It's terrifying to borrow yet another $15,000... It freaked me out even more when I was calculating the total I've borrowed thus far, not including the interest... almost $55,000, and I still have almost 6 years left of school... I'm not so sure if it's true that you can't put a price on an education...LOL!!!

The Carefree Spirit of Summer

I Love Being Your Mom

Dear Hannah...

Dad & Kaya

May 21st - 27th

Long Week

For some reason it seems like it has been a really long week. I'm sure part of this has to do with having entirely too much time on my hands. It amazes me just how much time I am capable of wasting. I've been out of school now for a month, and I still haven't really accomplished anything.

Spring Cleaning

The Smell of Summer

Rotary-Norlin Park

Our Spring Adventure

Sunrise & Nightfall

Moments in May

The Little Things

Haley & Mom

Everyday Moments

Baby Brother

Andrew in Kindergarten

Sleepy Girl

Well, I went to the doctor on Wednesday for my migraines, and the doctor prescribed me a muscle relaxer. I finally picked up my prescription yesterday afternoon. Prescription medication usually doesn't affect me heavily so unwisely I popped two pills in my mouth as I was making mashed potatoes for dinner. By the time we finished dinner and sat down on the sofa, I was done for the night. I do feel quite a bit better after 15 hours of sleep.

Soulmates

We Love Spring - May 7th to May 13th

Funk

I think I'm in a funk or something...I just have no ambition to do much of anything!!! For the last two days I've been so lazy and bitchy... Poor Tyler, putting up with me!!!

Naughty Puppy

For the most part Izzy is a rock star dog. Most of the time she is pretty chill, likes to snuggle up on the couch, and love on us, but I'm starting to get seriously annoyed at her moments of separation anxiety. We have left her at home twice now for no more than ten minutes at a time. Not just the first time, but both times she greets me with a less than fresh smelling present on the floor when I get home. I'm not sure if it is some kind of separation anxiety or her pouting and simply being naughty!!!

Tyler's Mother's Day Layout

This is a layout I made for Tyler to give his Mom for Mother's Day... Drives me crazy when I have to put a layout together at the last minute, so I am less than pleased with the results!!

Sisters

Back When

Rock Solid

We were driving to Gregory on Saturday afternoon, and it had seemed like we had been driving for ever, and Tyler was bitching incessantly. Of course I felt really bad because I know how he feels about my family, and spending one of his few days off in there presence, and driving 3 1/2 hours to do so was less than pleasant. That was when he told me that was why I should know just how much he loves me. It really made me think about what I would do if something ever happened to him. It also made me think back to everything we've been through. We've been through so many life changing obstacles that many couples never make it through. Somehow we've made it through his criminal activities and drug charges, a scary prison bid, trust and fidelity issues, loss, poverty, and sobriety. Somehow, through it all our relationship has  become even more rock solid than ever.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day was relatively uneventful (which was much welcomed, after a busy Saturday). Saturday, Haley Rae was super excited about her Mother's Day gift that she made at school on Friday. They took colored paper plates, attached foam petals to it, and a light weigh wood stick that was painted green, foam leaves made out of her hand print, and in the eye of flower/paper plate was a picture of her attached and framed in a foam frame. Of all the gifts my children have given me over the years, the hand made gifts are my favorite. Of course when Haley gave me her gift, Rhianna told me she hasn't made me anything yet... I've been bugging her to make me something for my refrigerator for 2 years. I guess she's just outgrowing making her "uncool" mom refrigerator art. It's hard to believe that I've been a mom for almost 13 years.

On Mother's Day, I slept in with Tyler and Izzy. When I finally rolled out of bed, I managed to upload all the pictures that we took on Saturday. It was really kind of a lazy day. I vegged out on the couch most of the day. Tyler went and did a bit of grocery shopping for me, and brought me home a new package of photo paper and some chocolate. I put together a layout for him to give his mom, Jackie for Mother's Day, and took a nap. I was still really tired, and coming down with another miserable migraine headache, but I pulled it together, managed to dress and put on a touch of makeup, and we had dinner on Jackie's patio with her, her husband, Jason, and Tyler's brother, Maxwell. We got home around 10 pm when I watched my shows: Army Wives, Desperate Housewives, & The Client List. It was late when Tyler and I booted Izzy off the couch, snuggled up, and watched American Psycho. I was beat when we finally crashed around 4:30 am. All in all, it was a nice relaxing day.

First Communion

Well, Haley Rae finally had her First Communion on Saturday evening. She looked like my little child bride in her white lace and veil & tiara. I still can't believe just how fast she is growing up. Saturday was a busy day, with a house full of guests at my mom's, a dozen different family pictures, food, and Mass at 5:30. Haley Rae was so excited. In the car on the way to Mass, she told Tyler that it was the best day of her life. As with all things, she will have many other "best" days of her life. Mass was very nice (& formal). The bishop conducted a majority of the ceremony, which was interesting. I was raised Catholic, and went to mass twice a week for close to twenty years, and it was the first time I had ever been to a service with the bishop. Honestly, I don't feel like I missed out all that much. He seemed awfully arrogant, but the kids were impressed which is really what matters. After mass I hugged Rhianna, Madison, and Haley good-bye, said a quick hello to my grandma, and Tyler and I headed for home. It was a long drive back, but we finally made it around 10 pm. I'm still very proud of my little girl, and all the hard work she put into her communion class over the last year.

"Izzy"

Tyler and I have been looking for a dog since he came home in January. It was kind of a complicated situation since he still had Kaya, but his grandma had gotten attached to her while he was in prison, and he didn't feel right taking her back. Kaya stayed with us a month and a half ago, while his grandma was away, and it was clear that she was no longer his dog. Although he still loves her (sometimes I think he loves her more than he does me), he knew it was time to find a dog for us. We've been casually looking for a dog, and we finally found our baby. "Izzy" is an almost pure white pit, and she is incredible. I haven't seen that child like sparkle in his eye in a very long time.

Mothers Day/ Me Layout

I am so aggravated. As usual I left a project to the last minute. My master plan was to make layout for my mom, for mothers day using a picture of her and I shortly after I was born. I've dinked with it for weeks now. Anyway, I finally made a layout that I was finally happy with, printed a smaller version (as I don't have time to get a 12x12 sent off to the printer in time for mothers day), and realized there is a typo... the story of my life...lol

Motherhood

Love & Anger

How do we really know when we love someone? Do we ever really know why we love that special someone. Tyler made a strange comment to me last night, to the effect that when we can't answer those questions is when we really do love them. He is the one person in this world that can piss me off more than anything, and I still want to kiss him until I can't breathe. I guess that is how I know that I love him, even more so why I am going to marry that boy. Needless to say I am irritated with him right now, but when he comes home and I see those big brown eyes and he takes me in his arms, all the frustration and anger will some how melt away. It always does.

Kitchen Fairies

Live, Laugh, & Love

Old Layouts

Well, I finally pulled out a file of scrap layouts from what seems like a million years ago. It was interesting to seen just how much my style has changed since first began scrapbooking. It seems so strange to see just how very much my life has evolved over the past five to ten years. It makes me laugh to seem my beautiful tweenage daughters as the wonderful children they were. I also reminds me just how very much I miss my Jack and Belle every time I pet a dog. I was also nice to see the layout of my nephew, Andrew, when he was just a baby. My ex-husband's brother, Troy's Iraq layout reminded me of some not-so-great memories of a marriage gone terribly wrong. It was a little sad to look at the one and only layout I've ever made using my grandfathers picture. I still miss him every day. I guess that's why I just can't seem to bring myself to scrap him. 

Older Layouts - 2006-20010

Older Layouts 2011-2012