Funk Time

What to write... Do I even want to write? Maybe writing will help me get things off my chest without disrupting someone elses peace. Everyone knows I do not like to complain. I try very very hard to keep things to myself. What is the sense of making someone else feel like crap just because I do? LOL!

I am calling this my 'funk time'. It has been a very long time since I have felt this way. Not only has everyone in my family shared endless germs with each other but the germs do not seem to stay away, at least for very long. Both of my kids are sick again. And, I am still what Ann calls 'snotalicious' going on my 4th week. To sum it up I am tired. Because things at the gym are hectic right now, I went to work probably way to soon after being sick. Heather really needs all the help she can get. And I really do not want to see her even more crazy at work than she already is. I did take off tomorrow to be with my children. Linda says, "Make it a mental health day for yourself." My response.."HECK YES!" Ann is covering for me, thankfully.

I feel like things are hitting me from all directions lately. At least my store is going extremely well even though I feel very overwhelmed with all the responsibilities at times. I do love it and would not give it up for the world. Every week we get at least 2 new customers.

The gym, well it is a touchy subject right now. A very dear friend of mine may lose his job due to a bad decision. Makenna actually cried when I told her. I cried too. Just the other day I was thinking about how blessed I am that God brought into my life so many people who make me laugh and feel so good. Then for this to happen just makes me sad. At this moment I have no idea what will happen. Only time will tell.

Craig is having major issues with Gavin which ended up involving me last week. It was the worst situation between Gavin and Craig that has ever happened. Although things are definitely not where they should be with the two of them, I think they are on the right path. However, hearing my son cry himself to sleep for 3 hours was heartbreaking.

Today at work I actually spent the day alone. I cleaned the free cycling room which took me well over an hour and a half. No matter how much I prayed during that time and no matter what I did to try to get myself out of this funk, nothing seemed to work. All I wanted to do was come home. Being there right now is just so different.

Tomorrow my goal is to rest. I am not going to do anything, for the first time ever! LOL! I could enter some more challenges but I think I need the day to just 'be'. It is said that God communicates with us the most during quiet time. Maybe He is trying to tell me something that I just cannot hear?

What I am thankful for today:
time
money
friendship
sunshine
laughter
love
advil
hot showers
music
scrapbooking challenges
The Center
the bowl-a-thon
movies
sleep
my children
my pets
my friends
my family
spring being only 1 month away

Wide Open Spaces STMC

Most of you who have scrapbooked with me or have seen my layouts know that I am a very 'shabby' scrapbooker. I get made fun of for my love of ink, razor blades, tearing and even singeing my paper. Because I love the details of distressing it takes me a long time to create one page. Recently I hosted a Close to My Heart workshop at my store. Being unfamiliar with their products, I wanted to try everything! The free stuff is a bonus as well. With the hostess credit I was able to get a new paper pack called Wings. I fell in love with it the moment that my friend Jennifer showed it to me. She knew with the butterflies, the colors and the already distressed look to this line that I would want it. I also was able to get CTMH's StickEase stickers to go with the paper.

Scrappin The Music Challenge is "Wide Open Spaces" this time around. And, two weeks ago my daughter roller skated for the very first time. Receiving this new paper, having a great picture and a song to go along with everything made me HAVE to enter this challenge. It took me 3 hours to create this page partially because at our PJ Crop last night we were out of power for the first hour. While the candles helped, I kept misplacing things. Trying to find everything with little light was frustrating but all 7 of us made the best of the situation and ended up having a blast. Makenna saw this layout this morning and gasped as her eyes lit up. She loved it.

The products used in this layout are:
CTMH Wings Paper Pack
CTMH StickEase Wings
CTMH Paper Piercer
Stampin Up Butterfly Punch, Scalloped Punch, & Flower Punch (retired)
Stampin Up ink; Pear Pizzazz & Bravo Burgandy
CuttleBug
Cricut Machine
Random supplies purchased at a yard sale.

Wish me luck!

My Little Yellow Bike Sketch Challenge

I just entered a contest for Little Yellow Bike. I fell in love with the Twig collection as soon as I saw it. The colors, the designs...I love it all. Of course when I saw the challenge on facebook, I had to enter it. Wish me luck!

Starting back up with the Scrapbooking Challenges

I cannot tell you the last time I entered any challenge. However, my goal this new year was to start again. It gets me to accomplish some scrapbooking with a little bit of competition involved. I seriously have no idea how the judges pick since all of the creativity is amazing from everyone who enters.

Most people are watching the Super Bowl right now but I am watching Ghost Hunters and listening to my daughter cough in her sleep. Everyone in my house has been sick and it seems like the recovery is taking so long that, before anyone recovers fully one of us has caught something else. It was nice to be out of the house today working at my store. We had great turn outs for both classes. Now I am relaxing on the couch wondering what tomorrow will bring. Will I be going to work or staying home again with a sick child? I missed work all of last week. Honestly, I want to go to work.

Hopefully those engaged in football, drinking beer and stuffing their faces with snacks are having fun. I much rather be right here where I am being amazed at Jason's findings on Ghost Hunters instead.

What I am thankful for today:
my store
scrapbooking challenges
my health
the health of my loved ones
my pets
laughter
warm blankets
my friends
quiet
time
love
sunshine
rainbows
cardinals
family
my children
sleep
coffee
water
my neighbors
Shelley
Jennifer G
Erika
my sister-in-law
hope
faith
forgiveness

The Feeling of Being Independent

Sitting on the couch for the third day has me extremely stir crazy. So I have decided in between cat naps, I will write out my wish list (wish list for life), blog some more, and do a lot of research on the web.

I realized that while I was married, there was a lot of responsibilities that I no longer had, besides cleaning, cooking and taking care of the kids. Ya I know so back in the 50's, right? Everything was together and Jeremy did everything online so I didn't have to deal with it. On my own I had to start over getting things in my name, getting things on my own and it was a very scary thought. Never thought I depended that much on someone to help take care of me and my life. It amazes me how one may take for granted the help of others. Believe me, I was always grateful but maybe not as grateful as I should have been.

In the last few weeks I have been researching life insurance, car insurance, health insurance and more. It has been draining but I am so happy that I am doing it on my own. This is the first time that I didn't need help gathering the stuff I needed for the taxes for my business. What a sense of accomplishment for me. I can do this myself and I will. It was nice to pay for my own car insurance after the endless forms I filled out to get quotes. And after years of having Jeremy pay for everything, it is nice to be able to do things for myself.

Many ask me how I keep my life together with all that I do. My response is, "I just don't think about it and just do it." I also make a point try to keep a regular schedule: Thursday nights is volunteer night at the shelter, I work every weekend at the store, Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays are committed to the gym. During whatever free time I have I am working on the website for the store, cleaning my house, posting classes on facebook and meetup.com, doing laundry, running my kids around, cooking, playing with the kids, and so on. I make it work. Thankfully I have a great network of people who are willing to help me with the kids if I have to be at the gym.

Although I am busy, it makes me a better mom. I enjoy the time I get with my children even more than I did when I wasn't as busy. I feel good about myself because I am being productive, working for what I want and need to live, without being dependent on someone else. I feel very blessed to be able to have my hobby as my career and work in a gym which enables me to bring my kids, have a free membership and work with some amazing people. If you write out what you want and start doing the things you have to do to get there, things fall into place.

I may not be working my dream job but I am well on my way. Things will happen when they are meant to happen. But you have to get going to get anywhere. Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there. 

Pray to God that he leads you to where you need to be. Commit to him and all your plans will succeed.

What I am thankful for today:

being indepentent
my Chloe who has been nursing me since I got sick
quality time
money
friendship
my health
the health of my family and friends
true blessings
confidence
hope
faith
stength
awareness
simplicity
laughter
Rachel for making me laugh today
Diane for getting Makenna to school
Jennifer G, Erika and mom checking up on me today
my store
creativity
the gym
Dwayne for working out with me
my family
love
the sunshine
clean laundry
new books
The Center
Christine for being such a wonderful person
my pets
Cheryl for being so wonderful with Makenna
Shawn
all the wonderful people who are involved with my store
contentment
Jeremy for being such a good daddy
smiles
the power of prayer
church
my life

The Role of 'Nurse'

Today's motivation is 0. Taking care of two sick kids with another sick adult in the house is very exhausting. I seriously cannot count the number of loads of laundry I have done in the past 3 days. And, it isn't over yet. When you sign up to be a mother you forget about all the other 'jobs' you have, nurse being one of them. I love my children more than anything and would do anything for them. However, they have taught me that being a nurse full time is not for me. I have a huge respect for anyone that works in the health field.


So for all you moms (and dad's), may God grace you with His presence when you are holding your nose, trying to console your sick child as their head hangs over the trash can or toilet. May you find comfort in the clean laundry, knowing that the puke smell that seems to linger in your nose will eventually go away. Be thankful for flat ginger ale, dry toast and most of all Lysol. Be thankful that these sicknesses usually only last for 24 hours, per child. Remember that your child is so thankful they have you to take care of them and that the bond you are creating will last a lifetime.

What I am thankful for today:
my health
my kids on the road to recovery
Lysol
clean laundry
being a mommy
my children
my pets
hot showers
The Biggest Loser
patience
understanding
music
vitamins
coffee
creativity
my jobs
money
sleep
motivation
laughter
friends
family
the sunshine
love