Did anyone else just blink?

It is February 25th. How did that happen? I'm trying to get ready for a big convention this weekend with Creative Memories. I usually look ahead and find out what I need to have done so that Monday won't be as hard. Suddenly I realized the end of the month finance stuff needs done, the calendars need updated and wow it's going to be March. Guess I better add birthday shopping for my brother in law on the list. Time just keeps speeding up as I get older, and life just keeps moving on. Happy March!

Just Do It

Sometimes I think Nike has it right. We make our list of things to do, and then we look at it. Sometimes we need to JUST DO IT. I think the part that is the most frustrating is some of the jobs never seem to go away. Laundry, dishes, laundry, dishes...bathrooms need cleaned...etc. Today I'm going to try and adapt a new mind frame about these things. Today I'm going to be thankful that we have clothes to wear, a washer and dryer right in the other room, clean water, beds to sleep in and food to eat. I'm going to remember to pray for my family as I do the jobs that simply need to get done. There is no sense in complaining about them, we all have them. I just need to do it!

What's Next?

Ever find yourself completing one thing only to wonder...what's next? Sometimes it seems like that is how life is lived. We get through with one thing and immediately need to know what's next? Right now I have several projects going. In my mind I'm trying to get all the details together and somehow I keep coming back to what I'll need to do when this next thing gets done. I guess the thing is sometimes it's fun to have nothing that's next. Just enjoy the day and not worry about where you have to go, or what you have to do. With that in mind...time to go clean the house and set up for tomorrows Creative Memories event and then get ready for World Friendship Day on Sunday. After that it's getting ready for Regional Convention...that's What's Next!

Preserving the Past

I've been thinking a lot about preserving the past lately. For Christmas I made albums for the both the kids featuring the 8x10's from birth until their current age as well as snapshots during that time. I also have been trying to go back and redo albums that are not in safe materials so they will be preserved as well. While this takes time and effort I have learned that it also helps me remember the good times, and why I feel the way I do about people, places and events.
It is stress relief in the simplest form. I don't need to leave the house, although large group crops are great. I just can focus for even as little as 15 minutes on a project and get a sense of accomplishment in it moving forward. I realize not everyone is a scrapbooker, but working with pictures is good for the soul regardless.

All Thrown Off

Have you ever noticed that when things stray from your normal routine everything gets completely thrown off? Friday and Monday the kids had off from school. We had a great time, went to the pool and the mall, played some wii games, and spent time together. Monday Phil also had off which made that day even nicer. Tuesday came and I was lost. Half of the day I thought it was Monday, aside from bible study, Daisy scouts, gymnastics, and hockey that is. Just the same it is now Wednesday and I'm still trying to get the grocery list together and get to the store, normally a Monday or Tuesday task. Get laundry caught up and balance the checkbook. Sometime this month I'd like to finish the taxes but with all the days off here and there it just doesn't seem to get done.
It's not really that I don't like having the extra people home. We've really enjoyed each others company and spent time together. I just wish I wasn't such a creature of habit as when things get out of wack it takes me a few days to recover. That and this weather is giving me a migraine! Oh, well... off to switch laundry and hopefully get back on track.

Did you know?

Did you know that 60* days are only to make you think more about spring and appreciate winter less?

Did you know that 90% of Americans don't sleep well because we are overdosed on caffeine during the day?

Did you know that taking time for yourself everyday only seems selfish if it's all day everyday and really makes you a better person to be around?

Did you know that Casting Crowns and Stephen Curtis Chapman are awesome?

Did you know that facebook can suck the time away from your day if you don't limit yourself?

Did you know that working with photos is actually a great stress reliever?

Did you know that the Wings are going to win the Cup again?

Did you know that this is a really lame excuse for a post but I've committed to trying to post 5 days a week and this is the best I can do?

Did you know that laundry and dishes always pile up, but we should be praising God that we have clothes to wear and have had food to eat?

Did you know that the to do list will never get done, so it's best to do the hardest jobs first?

Did you know that this is the last did you know?

Digital or Traditional?

The question for 2009 has been digital or traditional? This is the year I want to stay on top of my pictures. With that in mind I really need to get started scrapping my 2009 photos. The biggest question is digital or traditional? Do I print them out and scrap them, or do I create page prints and just slide them into an album.....I just can't decide. Perhaps that's why I've put it off to this point.
Digital is a lot of fun. It's quick, and comes back to you bound and finished. Somehow journaling is even easier with digital as it's a typed format.
Traditional is great too. I love the cutting, the arranging. It is incredible. So what to do!?

I'd love input so if anyone wants to vote on what I should do let me know.

Weather Change Mayhem

Every time the weather changes drastically I get to feeling wiped out. Not sure why, always attributed it to my blood not thickening or thinning as quick as the temps do around here. Now I'm noticing it's effecting my kids as well. Both have been fighting headaches as the temps have been rising and the weather is changing so much. I would rather it be 50 than 20 any day, but the fact that it will most likely dip back down makes me nuts. In the last 2 days Z has even visited the school nurse twice. Once for a stomach ache, related to sinus issues I'm sure and once for an itchy red eye...once again related to his allergies bothering him. I'm beginning to think I need to be a walking pharmacy of headache and eye relief. Or, maybe we should just move. Nah, guess I'll stop at the drugstore before I head up to school this afternoon, my heads throbbing as it is, I can only imagine that Katie's is as well.
At least the sun is shinning a wee little bit!

Facebook

Decided at the beginning of the year to see what the big deal about facebook was all about. Truth is I had mixed feelings going in. I know several people that absolutely love it, but also take a ton of time with it. Others who like reconnecting with people and have managed to limit their time on it.

I think that is truly the key. It is a cool thing to find out what people you haven't thought about in years are doing. It's fun to shoot a message to their wall, and maybe exchange a few stories. It's fun to see what others are doing when you read the updated status info. I can say it's been kind of neat to simply state " I'm working on Creative Memories albums" and know that now a whole group of people see I'm a consultant. It could be potentially good for business I would think. Yet, it can also be a HUGE time waster. It would be easy to sit on facebook for hours and play various games, search endlessly for lost friends, and join a million groups.

Just the same, if you can have self control and not spend time you need to be doing something else on it. I would say it's a good thing. It's a way to connect with people, share ideas, and network for work as well. I'm glad I'm on it. In fact, need to jump on it now to find out if things are still set with our babysitter tonight!

Another Weekend...don't blink!

Another weekend is about to be here. I know technically that Friday is the start of the weekend, but really it doesn't officially start for most people until they are home from work or school. In this case I have about 10 more minutes of weekday to deal with before the kids get off the bus.
What is in store for this weekend...if you ever read my blog or facebook entries you'd know there is one word that will appear in this weekends activities for sure..
HOCKEY!

The boys will be starting the weekend off with leaving for Youngstown at 5AM for a scrimmage. Upon their sleepy return we will do normal Saturday stuff. The evening holds a movie night for the kids with Grandparents, while I host my next Creative Memories workshop. Sunday, church and another hockey game. The kids are excited though because Sunday night we will be watching Extreme Home Makeover (sorry Phil) as Creative Memories has donated items to the girls room.

Hope everyone has a good weekend...I'm down to 7 minutes left of the week, got to run!

Enough already!

ENOUGH ALREADY! Yes, this is a pic of Katie and Zach standing on the sidewalk in front of our house while waiting for the bus this morning. It is not a trick. Simply by standing on the sidewalk they are barely able to be seen over the snowbanks. Now I realize that some of it is due to blowing the snow off of the driveway, but still. It's a little deep around here.

Is it pretty? Well, ok as the sunlight (which we usually don't see in these parts this time of year) streaks across the white frozen tundra we call our front yard the sparkles shining do make a pretty picture. Perhaps if we had known yesterdays 13+ inches were coming it would have made it even prettier, but we were told 1-3 inch accumulation yesterday. Maybe it was just a misprint on the weatherman's script and really said 13 inches to begin with. Regardless, life went on. School took place and we as only people from this part can do just kept going.

Do we enjoy it. Sometimes, but mostly this year we're done. Done of the day long storms and the snow that you can't see around at any given corner. All we could hope for is a gradual warming and melting process. Look out Southern Ohio, the snow is predicted to start melting this weekend when the rain moves in. You might want to get a jump start on those boats!

Let it Snow Let it Snow Let it Snow

Do you know the song Let it snow Let it snow Let it snow? Here's the new version.

Oh the weather outside is frightful,
and the fire is gas so we don't light it.
Since it's northeast Ohio we just go
On the roads let it snow let it snow

Oh it doesn't show signs of stopping
The weathermen said only 3 inches would be the topping
The only job where you can always be wrong
Let it snow tends to be our song

When the kiddos get out of school
I'll have to go and pick them up
Or on the bus they'd be till tomorrow
Especially if it doesn't let up

It's better to be in school when it's 15*
In the summer we'd just be iching
Oh, well at least there's work to do
Both at home and in school.

Now the day is slowly fading
It's to cold to be outside playing
But it's pretty just the same
And for the next 2 months there will be more of the same.

Maybe Now I'll Remember

Found a new product today that I'm hoping will help my mind. It's a cleaner for the dry erase board and a squeegee to help clean it off. We used to be good about adding things we needed to do or get from the store on our board in the kitchen. BUT then it got dirty so as I was struggling to remember what I wanted to get at the store or had forgotten at the store yesterday in the aisle of Target I saw the solution. Bought it, brought it home and IT WORKS! The board is clean and ready to jot down info on. Now next time we go out we can glance at the board, grab a post it note and not have to struggle with remembering it completely on our own. Which reminds me... forgot the hot chocolate, guess I better go write that down.

Just Another Manic Monday

Another week has started and already I'm feeling the pull of having so much to do and not much time to do it. Not sure how that happens so fast. I think I have it all organized and then suddenly, the day is off and things are not going as planned. Oh, well maybe my version of the song would go like this

To the tune of Manic Monday
Got to get the kids on the bus
got have friends kids to school by 9
If I got out of bed early
I'd still be running short on time.

Cuz it takes so long to get the kids to get dressed and preparred
I'll get the kids off to school then figure out what's next to do.

Just another Manic Monday oh oh
Yesterday was superbowl Sunday
oh oh
Don't really care who won oh oh
Wings play Blues tonight looking for a hockey fight.

Ok, I'm to tired to really make the song work but at least I feel like I had one moment to myself. Got to run...kids are wanting more snack, go figure!