No Poo Poo on the Froo Froo

So, who'd a thunk it? My little Walker Man could not stand that I didn't make him a notebook like his sisters' HM2 notebooks. For 2 weeks now he has not come into my scrap room without asking would I make him a notebook.

"Will you make me my notebook, please?" He'd say in his most sincere and sweet voice.

We've been very sick, as you all know. That didn't stop his pleadings. it hurt me, as I'm sure you understand, to repeteadly tell him that while I WILL make him his notebook SOMEDAY, I just couldn't do it TODAY.

So tonight, all of us feeling mostly human again, I found the energy to tackle his notebook. I finished it. I was proud. He cried and ran out of the room. He's very sensitive, this little man. So, 15 minutes of reckoning later I find out that he's upset because his doesn't have the pretty ribbons on it too. So, here is Walker and his froo froo'd up notebook! Doesn't he look happy now? I didn't think for one minute that the ribbon froo froo would be in this little dream of his! GEESH! Now I'm off to make Wyatt his, because you know Walker isn't going to rest until Wyatt has one too! This time, I won't even try to say poo poo on the froo froo! Not going there again!

J is for JUMBO Clothes-pin

Just in case you thought I forgot about my ABC's of posting, here is a J to keep us moving!

I made this Jumbo Clothes-pin Photo Holder quite sometime ago. My friends Jen and Lois came over for our almost monthly creative session at my house (only because I have kids-- enough said!). Jen taught us how to make the flowers and yes they are completely made with paper, ink, some floral wire and tape, and ribbon! The paper clips are readily available at many scrapbook or hobby type stores, but I got mine here. I painted it white, covered with some BT and a neat rub-on from HS, highlighted it with some ink and added my paper bouquet! Cute, huh? I posted it before and the gals over at Pennywise Arts wanted me to do a tutorial. . . Of course I told them I didn't create these cute little roses, but that I would "teach" the class. . .I think its still available on their yahoo site, if you are so interested. . . Maybe Jen will post here photo tutorial here, I tried to find it, but failed! Here's the ones Lois and Jen created too!

Did You Remember to Wash Your Hands?

Picture this . . .Last Thursday night, me and the kids head to the store for a little time out of the house and oh, yes, the all important milk, bread, egg, cheese and produce run. . . 2 hours and $225 later I spy a pizza shop across the way. Since it is now almost 8PM and less than 1/2 hour to bedtime for my youngest. I suggest we head on over for some pizza. Did my kids complain? Of course not! Out comes the hand sanitizer and we all "wash up." We waited a reasonable amount of time at the table before my kids, one by one of course, headed off to the restroom. Thankfully my oldest DD takes them so I don't have to leave the others unattended. As they return I ask the standard "Did you wash your hands?" Which of course they answer was, in each case , yes. We eat. We get ready to leave when up jumps Wyatt. He darts over to the bloody shooting, not fit for humanity video game and picks up the gun. Kicking and screaming we leave the pizza shop at 9:30 PM. We go home, I carry in , undress and change 3 of my 4 adorable children and place them in bed without brushing their teeth (nor washing their hands.) Friday 6PM. . . I hear "Mom! I pooped!" Loudly repeated three times from the far bathroom. My twins are 4, but I don't let them wipe themselves yet and they are fiercely trained on this issue. This also ensure that they WASH THEIR HANDS!!! When I arrive in the bathroom, I discover a toilet stained with spatter, splashes and such all over the seat, the lid and the floor. . . you guessed it! DIARRHEA! So for the next 4 hours I am wiping a rather ooey bottom almost regularly. Fast forward to breakfast. I make oatmeal. Wyatt LOVES oatmeal. After one full bowl and half of his brother's unfinished cereal, I hear (again from the far bathroom) "Mom, I Puked!" While I'm cleaning this lovely mess I hear from the farther bathroom "Mom! I pooped!" This is now the 2nd twin, same mess as last night, but 12 hours later. Onto the afternoon and Walker has a fever. We stay home from church on Sunday. I feel a little guilty as other than pretty regular diarrhea trips in the bathroom, my kids seem okay. Fast forward to Monday. J & M both start on diarrhea. Then Tuesday, both girls have fevers, can't study or do their school work (we do school at home). The diarrhea continues with all 4 kids and Jessica also pukes blueberries all over the bathroom floor, not once, but twice. She didn't see the need to try and make it to the toilet (which her 4 year old brothers figured out all by themselves.) So by Wednesday I have 4 sick kids and DIARRHEA!!! By Thursday I have a temp of 104' and can't move myself from my bed. I hurt in places I didn't know you could hurt. I mean, come on, a toothache from the flu? Sharp, dreadful pains in the balls of my feet, sweeping pains from my head to my feet (and even my toenails) is not normal! This was ridiculous! I managed to teach Jessica 4 of her subjects and she seemed to feel much better. I crawled into bed at 2pm and other than a bit of moaning and pleading with my kids to just watch a movie and not burn the house down, I didn't move. I got out of bed this morning at 7:00 AM, thinking "FINALLY! We're all better!" Not 2 steps to the bathroom and I almost collapsed. Not better yet. . . and guess what? Jessica almost didn't move today either. She's been in bed next to me all day while I've attempted to work with Mikensee on the subjects she's now behind in from my laptop. Now this is really interesting, I know, but what does this have to do with washing your hands? You weren't paying attention, were you? Wyatt actually touched that filthy video game with his hands and not that the filth on the screen wasn't enough, he brought this nasty little bug home. Guess what? I didn't wash his hands!!! Now I suppose we could have gotten this over week long bug from somewhere else, like say the shopping cart. BUT, I did use a cart wipe and I also used hand sanitizer at the grocery store. Let this be a lesson to you all!!! Did you remember to wash your hands???

On the upside, the grocery's I bought last week are still safely in the refrigerator!

Luck in 2's Challenge

Your challenge -- create a scrapbook page, journal entry or blog entry answering the following questions:

1. Two everyday things I can't live without: Water and Light
2. Two of my favorite songs: Traveling Soldier and Jesus Take the Wheel (also, Christmas music, any kind!)
3. Two things I want to do before I die: Be so good at something, it gives others goose-bumps and overcome my "bad" habits.
4. Two things I worry about: Failing my Children, Failing Myself
5. Two stores I shop at: Costco and Old Navy
6. Two things that scare me: Not being able to protect my kids, losing my family
7. Two snacks I could eat everyday: Ice-Cream and French Fry's (yes, together!)
8. Two people I would be lost without: My Mom and My Husband
9. Two nicknames I've been given: Shelly Belly and Buttars Butt (my maiden name is Buttars!)
10. Next two places I want to go on vacation: Colorado, Someplace Tropical (on a cruise!)

Let There Be Light!

And there was. . . a night light in my DD Jessica's room! She is pretty good about sleeping in her room, but a lot of mornings I find her light on, so I know she gets up after I go to bed to turn it back on! This is my solution! A night light, altered with pretty paper, flowers, buttons and rickrack! Now, I hope this tiny light will be her comfort and not the big one in the middle of her ceiling!

High School Musical Fever

High School Musical 2 -- a lot of hype went into the promo of HSM2, but we still really enjoyed it at our house! (It also got me through one week of school and bedtimes with little to no resistance! Yeah me!!!) In honor of the big release, I made these notebooks for my girls. . . they were really impressed! Overall Size is 5 1/4 X 8 1/2. Paper downloaded from High School Musical 2!

Tagged Again! SEvEn rANdoM ThINgS!

Fabulously talented (and now I found out also incredibly interesting), Tresa, has tagged me for 7 more random things to know about me.

Okay, so I'm really having to stretch here. . .

The Osmond's (Marie pictured above) are my cousins. . . And, we used to actually see them at family reunions. . . And she sang at my Uncle Rex's funeral. . . And we were invited to her first wedding. . . And she picked me out of a crowd at the Idaho State Fair in 1989-90 (can't remember for sure which year!) My family participated in a talent show with the Osmond's in attendance when we were kids doing "I need some Pepper," -- A ridiculous spoof on needing toilet paper in an outhouse. And I have a picture of Donny with my Grandmother not long before she passed away. . . Okay, that's 7! Whew!!! That wasn't so tough!

So now, the following 7 of you are tagged: Lois, Jenn, Elaine, Tori, Kari, Tara, and Kim

Luck Has EVERYTHING To Do With It

And I am one lucky girl! I have a great friend and owner of the best discount hobby site anywhere (Just4FunCrafts) and for my birthday she made me this cute little scrapbook! I say little, but it weighs nearly a pound. . . It's made with covered chip board and has all kinds of tags, pocket and cool, fun stuff. . . she actually used sand that she sneakily asked me to bring her back from my Laguna Beach vacation. . . this is just so amazing I really can't believe it!!! So, yes, I am lucky, very, very lucky! Thanks Jen!

Color Quote Contest Extended

Okay, so 1 entry doesn't quite cut a "contest!" I've extended the deadline Until August 30th and I need 5 entries (minimum!) Please see Color Quote below and get busy on your submission!

Because We All Need One More Project To Start On

Ok, so maybe we don't, but it sure if fun to look and dream! This may not be new to some of you, but it was new to me and thought it was worth sharing! I will be posting more on my busy last couple of weeks, but for now, EYE CANDY!

Scrapbook Memories Project Ideas (by the hundreds!) Can be found here! These include supply lists, completed project photo and how to instructions! Enjoy!

You Look Just Like . . .

So I've been told I look Molly Ringwald, a white Whitney Houston and even Julia Roberts. . . I never imagined I looked like all these beautiful women! Lucky me!

Quote to Create On - Color to Inspire!

It's no secret that I love Big Picture Scrapbooking - especially their color and quote section. . . Well over there this week they probably have the quote, that if I could, I would use to motivate everyone in this world to scrapbook.

Make visible what, without you,
might perhaps have never been seen.
― Robert Bresson

Isn't that just the awesome! So I hope today (or whenever you read this) you will think on this quote for a minute about some ideas you've got swirling around in your head and get them out there. . . Make visible, what, without you would never be seen!

So, here's a little challenge. . . using one of the color combos in the cute photo above from

Little Miss Matched get something out of your head, into paper and email it to me (frommyheart@myctmh.com)! Put "Color Quote" in your subject line. If I get some action on this little challenge I'll make a slide show, post it and pick my fave for a little prize from me. . . If the winning entry is a scrapbook page I will award a bigger prize! Oh, and the deadline is August 13th--winner announced no later than August 15th!

Make it a great day!

Go Vanilla! Blog Ice Cream Winner , , ,

IS . . . Drum Roll Please!!! Cheryl won the blog ice-cream being the 21st poster out of 25 in just over 2 days and 100 views! At 11:20 Pm I had 1102 Views (sorry I missed it by 2!) but the last post came in well before that, so I guess it's all legal and we can leave the attorneys at home in their beds! I've emailed you Cheryl for your snail mail addy and a Coldstone Creamery Gift Certificate will be on its way to you! Enjoy your Chocolate PB ice-cream! And, oh, any chance Coldstone was the creamery where your hubby proposed? HMMM???

Thanks to all of you who played along with me and for your fun comments too! I think Vanilla won! I say the rest of us run out and pick up a pint (quart or gallon if you prefer), grab a spoon and enjoy!

I is for Ice-Cream

Getting back to my ABC's of Blogging. . . just having too much fun! So, for fun, I'm going to offer some Blog ICE-CREAM! Notice it's missing in my cone above!

Ice-cream is one of my 2 favorite foods! I love Vanilla, closely followed by Strawberry Cheesecake, Something with Carmel in it, sometimes with chocolate. . .oh, I give up! I can't pick possibly pick one flavor as my favorite!

So, post your favorite ice-cream flavor and you could end up with some ice-cream of your own! I've got almost 1000 hits so I'll pick from those who posted (randomly of course) when my hits reach 1100 I'll send 1 lucky poster their own blog ice-cream!

Wish We All Could Be California Kids!

Just back from our Laguna Beach Vacation! What a trip! We had such a good time exploring the tide pools, played with crabs, found all sorts of interesting wild-life there! I've got many incredible pictures. Missed a great picture while Mikensee was riding the waves. Dolphins were swimming and jumping maybe 20 feet from her. She missed the entire thing due to the waves in her view! I couldn't get my camera out fast enough! I did get some photos of the dolphins, but not clear enough other than to identify that they are dolphins. We enjoyed hanging at the beach, digging in the sand, exploring, eating (of course!) and just having a really good time. . . I do wish we could be California kids! (only on vacation of course!)

It's My Birthday and I'll Cry If I want to!

Okay, so I really didn't cry, but it makes a good headline doesn't it? My 37Th year marked with a trip to Grease and the Broadway Palms Dinner Theater (photo with DD), a nice lunch with my friend Kim at PF Chang's (our annual birthday tradition), My FAVE Red VELVET Cake homemade for me by my main mom Teresa and a new digital friend (also from my too sweet, over the top Mother Teresa!) I got the new 10.1 Mega pixel Casio EXILIM Z1050 (LOL!) Like I know what that means! HA!!! Anyway here's to MOI' on my special day!

Benjamin's Baby Book

My dear friend Atalie had her 11 lb, 11 oz, 22.5 inch long baby boy Benjamin Friday the 13th. . .

I made her this altered board book baby album tonight and just can't wait to give it to her! I think it turned out so cute! The book is aproximately 6" X 7.5" tall. I used Basic Grey Oh Baby! Boy! and lots of miscellaneous stamp sets, embelishments etc. Used a board book from the $1 Store!

Rockin' Blogger Girl

Looky what I got! A Rockin' Girl Blogger badge! Not that I'm deserving, but my friend Lois at Gingerbreadaholic nominated me! I'm supposed to nominate 5 more Rockin' Girl Bloggers so I've got some research to do! I have some fave's, but most are already nominated AND I don't know that many bloggers! I'll update on my 5 picks soon! Thanks Lois!

Color

Jessica is my very colorful 5 (almost 6) year old. I was telling her this morning that I think she should be a color. She just brightens every room and is as stubborn and hard headed as they come. She definitely adds color to every minute of my life and our family. Well, I just love the Color And Quote section over at Big Picture Scrapbooking. I love color and the use of it in everything from ads to decorating. . . I especially love looking everywhere for color combos I can try. Obviously some people are just really good at playing with color. I'm probably not an expert, but like my "happy" card below I find color inspiration in some unusual places. . . Today I found these pictures and decided I had to try posting some color combination inspiration of my own.

Sometimes the Absurd Just Jumps of the Page

So, I love cookies. . . It's no big surprise that this cookie buffet caught my attention. . . but it was the fine print that I couldn't quit chuckling over. . . Good ole Martha Stewart and her new "all American" reformed self!

"Watch the kid in guests appear as they reach for treats from a cookie buffet. Ask your caterer to make a selection of cookies from the recipes below, or use your own family favorites. Be sure to include a card or label with the cookie names. You can also set out glassine-lined bags and seals for packaging cookies to go."

So anybody else have a caterer that I can "borrow" so I can have my very own cookie buffet???

Wow! Never Thought I would finish this one!

Sometimes I tackle mini albums thinking that it will save me time. . . This was definitely a mistake of judgement on this one! I really enjoyed making this little gem and I loved reliving the memories of the vacation too! As this album is 31 pages I have linked a video of the complete album at the bottom of my blog. . . Hope you enjoy it!

Got the 7 Gypsies from my friend Jen over at J4Fun. They are hard to find and hard for her to keep in stock! I definitely would have made my insert pages (I removed the set that came with and made my own), and scrapped them BEFORE assembling the album. . . I had no idea when I sewed all those little pages in there how long they would take to complete! Jen, Lois and I all started these one afternoon. . . are yours done yet??? HMMMM????

Monday Challenge

I saw this posted over at Random Thoughts and thought I'd forward the challenge. . . So post yours here or put on your own blog if you are ready to take the challenge!

1. I WANT to be so good at something it gives people goose-bumps.

2. I HAVE everything I NEED!

3. I WISH I could do all that I visualize I can do.

4. I HATE that there is never enough time to do all I want to do.

5. I MISS the changes of the season (but not the long cold winter!)

6. I HEAR my inner self trying to talk me into be better than I am.

7. I WONDER if I will ever feel totally comfortable in my own skin.

8. I REGRET letting myself down.

9. I AM NOT sure what I want to be when I grow up!

10. I DANCE with my kids at the end of their movies with good songs!

11. I SING the songs that speak to me!

12. I CRY easily and it used to bother me, but not anymore!

13. I AM NOT ALWAYS happy with who I am.

14. I MAKE WITH MY HANDS gifts for those who mean the most to me.

15. I WRITE to leave memories in my children.

16. I CONFUSE my identical twin boys sometimes!

17. I NEED good friends, close family and my faith.

18. I SHOULD spend more time doing and less time thinking about it!

19. I START too many things at a time.

20. I FINISH cleaning before I allow myself to play.

H is for Happy

and although I am, I'm in a bit of a funk today. . .pun intended. . . Don't know if it's the heat, the kids, summer, no vacation or what, but I know my kids would like it to go away!

Here's a card I made because I saw these colors on a Happy blouse!

Gifties and Goodies for the Letter G

These little gifty, goodies are baby shower game prizes! The bottles each say YEAH, BABY, LANDON. . .All together of course they say Yeah, Baby Landon!
These are empty Fuze bottles altered with CTMH Building Blocks paper and stickease. Easy, but fun and cute for a little boy baby shower! I also made some much smaller ones as party favors using empty tiny restaurant ketchup, mayo and jelly bottles! My kids ask me before they throw every bit of packaging away. . . I am notorious for buying something just so I can alter the package later!