A freshman...

Jordan is officially a freshman. He has his high school ID card, as of 9am this morning. The initial school fees are paid. Woohoo! Now my worry simply turns to wanting him to have a good experience in high school. I didn't have the worst, but I surely didn't have the best of times during mine. I did meet Sean, so they weren't all bad. LOL
I think my biggest thought might be that I wonder when he will get more mature. I try to ignore the behavior, but he always seem to be the annoying kid. The one that tries to make smart cracks, funny remarks, but ends up sounding like a dork sometimes. He doesn't hear it and he doesn't see the reaction from other people. He doesn't get the mini eye-roll, the ignored comments, etc.
I mention to him (when not in the situation), about this. I try to explain. I simply don't think he has mentally matured to the point that he gets what I am saying. Maybe it simply is the one personality that drives me insane. It makes my skin crawl when I see a kid act like that. And THAT kid, is my kid. UGH!

My other two kids are the same personality. They are the center of attention, often. Meghan is VERY shy, but once comfortable in the group or with the person... it's good. She makes friends pretty easily. Jarod does also.

So, what to do when my kid is doing these things. I know he is who he is. But, shouldn't I try to mold him a little. LOL

Help!! Any advice... so my kid doesn't end up in a toilet, upside down?? LMAO

Thankful thoughts...

I was just thinking about how the seasons are changing. We are entering the fall season, which flows into "the holidays". The holidays are the warm and fuzzy seasons, when we begin to think about family, friends, giving, being thankful, etc. Yeah, it's also the time that everyone begins to stress about money, gifts, the heat bill, etc. But... what if we didn't think about THAT stuff right now?

What if we could find a way to struggle through, without feeling like we are struggling? Wouldn't THAT be amazing?

So... what are you thankful for now? Can you list the enjoyable parts of your life, instead of the stresses and things currently probally rambling in your thoughts?

Today is photo sharing day... I hope you enjoy!!

Jarod is enjoying his football practicing. He is there every night, Monday thru Friday... 6pm - 8pm. That's ALOT of practice, but I guess football is alot of work. I am enjoying going to watch him learn the fundamentals of the game. (Oh yeah, Jarod is in the light blue shorts)

Miss Meghan... was a bit bored at practice the other night. She got a bit bouncy and went to sit in her chair. Her chair decided to give her a flip. LOL

I caught a few smiles in my pics, before she got embarrassed and grumpy.

And a few layouts to share... (I've been busy!!) Click on the photos and they enlarge, btw. I have been into fairly simple layouts. Playing with techniques, titles, and paper rather than alot of stickers or embellishments. Scrapbooking is WAY cheaper when you don't feel the need to add STUFF to your layouts. :)

I do like the STUFF, I just don't use it often. I still need a room for my Stuff though. I am tired of cleaning my 'space'.

I love this paper! It's from

I am also working on using up older paper, borders, etc. This is a layout made from an old pad of paper and a clearance sheet of paper that I simply HAD to have. I feel accomplished, having used it.

I don't often take photos of myself. I am normally behind the camera. Sean grabs the camera every-so-often. This was a teachers gift / beading project, that I enjoy thinking about making. I really enjoys the giving of this gift, and now I can enjoy the memory when I browse my layout.

This is yet another slab paper usage. I liked that the letters came with the paper. The paper fit the layout. I always like being able to see what I want the layout to be, and feeling like I got there when I slide it into its protective sleeve. :)

These pics were from a family hike. Just a fun time with my kids. I couldn't decide on what the layout was to look like. I just knew I wanted COLOR. It's one of those... Slide it in the sleeve, it isn't a perfect layout, but its DONE. You have all the memories there, that is after-all what matters. LOL

A little squishy. The photos didn't lay out well. Yet there wasn't a wish in my head for another layout, nor the want to delete a photo... so you get what you get.

And finally... (still with me here??) I LOVE the color in this layout. Snow layouts are always hard for me. I want snowflakes, fun, and color. Ok... It's really simple, a bit fun, and colorful. Best of all... It's a completed layout.

Some day though... I will have to rearrange my album pages. I scrap what I feel like, at the time. I scrap ideas that come to mind. I am rarely in order, and often disorganized. That is who I am. I spend alot of time at work being organized and on time. Scrapbooking is my creative release that allows me to be who I am at the time I am sitting at my table. What is better than that?

What are you thinking?

How are you coping with the economy lately? Are you feeling completely strapped. I thought we were doing pretty good, until recently. We just seem to literally make ends meat. We spent $90 at the grocery stores this week. We brought home barely anything. The meat prices were simply horrid. No wait, the prices overall were horrid.
We did shop on Friday afternoon, which I think was a mistake. I have noticed the prices go up by Thursday, and don't lower until Monday. I know that has to do with customer flow, and paycheck timing too. Yet, I wonder how much supply and demand is coming into effect too. As we still need to purchase food, it costs more, we still buy it. The chips and junk food are on sale... but the bare minimum items are going up in pricing. Meat is high, cereal is high, yet chips are a good deal in the sale isle.
Except, that when the needed items are high, you don't have anything left to buy chips. LOL

Oddly milk seems to be staying around $2 or less. How is that?? Humm...

So, what are you making?

This week we will be having BBQ chicken, BBQ pork riblets, Crab salad (pasta), French Toast & Eggs, ???

Sean and I are making a little extra at meals, to take for leftover lunches at work. I am freaked out to think about how soon I will have to figure out 3 school lunches again. Those are expensive and so hard to make not the same-ol every day. Time to start googling ideas for those again. My kids really dislike PB & J and Meat sandwiches.

I am thinking of making...

**my own sort of lunchables though. Sliced pepperoni or meat, cheese slices, and ritz crackers (or the like).

**shredded cheese, a rubbermaid of pizza sauce, and ritz crackers... maybe a few pepperoni too.

**??? (any ideas?)

Oh, I did get the kids lunch bags that have bottles in them... I plan to send water or juice, and not buy capri-suns this year. We will see if leaks happen. Anyone have a trick to prevent leaks?? Maybe plasticwrap before the lids go on? Would that make it way to hard to open? UGH!!

Ok, I am babblin'

We baked...

This was the funniest thing to happen in our house, in quite awhile. Jarod was feeding the cats, when the cat got a little pushy. She bumped him, with the usual side-head butt. This made him loose hold of the food bin... and... (Luckily we found it funny, not upsetting!)

I am just now getting pics off my camera from the past few weeks. Sean and I took the kids to Metzler Park. The boys were a bit bored because they thought the water was too shallow in the spot we picked to sit at. Meghan enjoyed cooling off though. She and I walked quite a ways through the creek, just enjoying a little time together.

And back to the present...

I helped Jordan (aka...Betty Crocker in our house LOL) bake a cake tonight. He enjoys baking and cooking. I enjoy sharing what I know. I am thankful that he wants to know the info too.

This is a lemon sponge cake, minus the lemon rind. We did use mexican vanilla though, hoping the flavor is strong enough. Oh, and I learned a lesson in the process... make sure your family doesn't put the bag of italian seasoning in the container with the bag of baking powder. Everything in the container smells like italian seasoning. Luckily I had one bag un-flavored.

What a week!!

So Chase is a horrible company (bank). Long story short, they made an error on my account, sent my APR to 29.99%... and even though not MY error... they won't fix it. Won't drop my APR, etc. So I now need to find a Loan or transfer that card to a new account. UGH!!
I am over banking with Chase. I didn't ask them to buy out Washington Mutual. I didn't OK them changing the fees, rules, etc. on my accounts. But who cares... not them. Not the government either I guess. :(

Anyhoo... so yesterday my BIL was laid off. He's in the eletrcial apprenticeship, and that has surely become a risky career in this economy. Sadly he woke today to find his car stolen too. UGH!!

On a better note... I found out that I won a contest at work, and will get a $200 bonus. WOOHOO!! That will go quite a ways, to pay for school supplies and clothing, and not much more but still WOOHOO!! LOL

I am making coffee right now... at 9:52pm... getting ready to sit at my scrap table for a bit. I work the late shift tomorrow, so I thought I would veg and craft for a good late night tonight. I need some ME time. :)

How you dealing with life lately?? What are you doing to hang in there, pay the bills, or simply survive the insanity we call living in todays world? Leave me a comment... I would love to hear from those that browse by.

Why haven't I thought of this?? I love the idea. Especially when I send my kids lunch daily, during school. I simply REFUSE to believe that school lunches need to cost $2+ per kid. Oh my!! Hell NO!!!
So... I already bought lunch bags for the kids new school year, but I am making these too.
There are always a few days when the kids say "Oh no, I forgot my lunch bag at school!" A huge no-no with me, but still happens. Here is the site I found the idea on, and the idea itself... I will share pics of my bags soon. I think I might add do-dads to the outside. Embellishments are in the plenty around this house.

Oh and I am talking about the bag itself, not the felt food. LOL
http://www.skiptomylou.org/2009/03/09/felt-brown-bag-lunch-tutorial/

I also think I will get a little larger felt square, as the bags might be a bit too small with regular felt squares. Felt is sold by the yard at the fabric store too. You can also buy clear tablecloth vinyl and make a lining for the bags. A little better to clean up the things the kids leave behind. :)

Vine (sp) service...

I keep getting updates from Vine. Victims notification service for our local jail systems. While I want to know when people I know go in and out of prison, it also seems to be upsetting to get so many updates.
I know in advance that they will be released... that I will get another call when they are. I get calls every two hours, on my voicemail, until I hear the call and press 2 to confirm. UGH!

I am just not dealing with this all well.

On another note... I want to produce art today. I keep thinking about having the kids be creative, giving them a canvas and paint... and letting them create. However I am currently waiting on a reply from a Craigslist ad, so I can hopefully get new chairs to redo for my dining room. :)

Somehow I am determined to accomplish something and end the day feeling productive. LOL

Hugs to all...