snow day part 2

this is what happens when 2 snow days precede a weekend...

snow day crafting

we are on our 2nd snow day and i have had lots of time to scrapbook and make cards. here are the cards....layouts to come later (gotta take those pics still)...enjoy!

30 day wrap up

well today is the last day of november and i figured i would update you on my 30 day shred plan i did for the month. i missed a total of 7 days out of the month. 2 were lazy hormonal days and 5 i was sick and it just wasn't happening. but overall i am proud that i stuck with it and completed 23 days.

i did switch the workouts around. shred 1 actually became too easy and mundane, so i took on shred 2...that kicked my butt good. then i got stupid and did both workouts in 1 day. not something i can do everyday, but it was a nice change. the last few days i have been completing her quick problem areas workout. that has truly been an eye opener. owwiieeeee! is all i have to say!

overall i would recommend this for people to try if they are looking for a change in workout. i did not lose any weight during this time, i actually gained weight. that being said, i am slimmer and much more tone. so that has kept me going. i am also stronger too which feels amazing. i plan on continuing to workout as far into december as possible. we will be traveling for the holidays, so i won't be able to complete these workouts for the entire month...but i will have to wear a swimsuit everyday so i will continue doing something:) and i plan on picking up when we return home.

the best part about this is it was all free on our free exercise on demand channel. so i could change up the workouts whenever i wanted to and not have to buy a new dvd. ok, enough about that!

getting in the spirit...

been playing in my scrappy hole some more. thought these might make some cute teachers gifts.

thanks for looking!

a little creative play...

been having fun this past weekend in my scrappy room....made these frames...

and tonight finished up this cake....

big birthday tomorrow....woohoo...(and don't let my trick photography fool you...the cake leans to one side! LOL) but she loves it and thats all that matters!!

more pictures to come!

love

just having a little creative fun. been wanting to get into my scrappy area for awhile now, but now that the pegboard is hung and everything is truly organized...i had new found inspiration.
so here it is....

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as far as my 30 day shred is going....i am proud to say i have completed it every single day so far. i am sore still, but i am really noticing a difference in my tone. i am getting stronger and starting to see some muscle definition. i attempted the 2nd level one day...i don't know what i was thinking, but quickly went back to the 1st level:)....anyways just a quick update!

hard to believe...

someone will be turning 4 this month...seems like only yesterday...

man i wish i could keep them little forever!

on a side note...day 6 is complete! woohoo! and believe me when i say i did NOT want to workout this morning. i wanted to sleep. be lazy. eat. anything but workout! but i am so proud of myself.

owwwieeee

just finished day 5 of the 30 day shred. i can honestly say i dread it every morning and am so happy when i am finished with it!

hope to upload some random pics later today...we will see:)

day 2 complete!

whoop whoop! now i can relax for another 24 hrs...

day 1 complete

i am always looking for new challenges so i decided to attempt jillian michaels 30 day shread for the entire month of november. we are lucky cause it comes on our free exercise on demand channel. so it costs me nothing. but some sweat and sore muscles:)

i don't usually post these things on here, but i am counting on "you" to help keep me honest. cause lets face it....this next month is gonna down right suck for me. LOL. but if i actually follow thru...DANG the benefits will be worth it!!

so i am proud to say i did complete it yesterday...and plan on updating as often as i can to let you know i am still on track. (or to just put it in writing so i can laugh at myself later)...

here's to a toner me by the end of the month! pass the gatorade!

(halloween costumes to come)

the finished product

and here they are... this 1st one is abby's choice...


and this next one is ella's choice...



we didn't make it to carving the 3rd one...but that may still happen:)

i heart photoshop

one of the 1st things that got put on the back burner when we moved back to the states was my photo business. there wasn't time for it and there still really isn't. but that also meant my photoshop skills went downhill fast.

so lately i have been making myself play a little more and experiment...here's the latest...i personally like the 2nd pic best...

still working on those pumpkins...art takes time:)

pumpkin guts

we waited kinda late this year to start the pumpkin carving. and of course there was no way we could NOT carve pumpkins:)

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last night we started out just cleaning the pumpkin guts out.

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and this is always a favorite time for the girls, cause they LOVE the feel of slimy pumpkin guts in between their fingers.



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and this play time wouldn't be complete without the "pretending" to eat the pumpkin guts photo.

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My kids could seriously spend hours playing with the guts. almost wish pumpkins could come around a few more times a year...like the LONG winter when we are out of ideas of things to do...oh well...we will enjoy it nonetheless!

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tonight we carve the pumpkins....stay tuned!

proud.

he's home. thank god!

nothingness

i haven't completely abandoned my blog...i promise. just been insanely busy with nothing really interesting to write about. been in mommy mode. driving from school to practice to home...then homework, dinner, baths, bed...a few temper tantrums (mine and theirs:).

the good news is that my "relief" will be here in less than a week. very happy about that. then i can start breathing again. at the moment, i am doing a lot of cleaning. not very fun. have been wanting to scrapbook, but don't have time really for that either. been reading lots. such is the cycle of life.

so now that you're bored beyong belief and probably asleep...you don't have to feel like you are really missing out on much:) hopefully i will be back soon with something witty to say or a new pic to post. sadly haven't even picked my camera up in awhile. must do that soon!

almost time...

the decorations are up...now we need our soldiers home:) not much longer. here are some quick shots of the decorations we made with plastic cups. the lighting wasn't great since i was shooting into the sun, but you get the idea.

cricut contest

This is contest entry for those crazy folks at TodaysMama and Cricut.

Be sure to check out Cricut's cool new cartridges and the chance at $30,000 in travel for you and your friends at the Great Gypsy Escape site! http://bit.ly/FWcudGreat Escape Meme

1. If you could escape to anywhere in the world where would it be? carribean

2. What song do you play when you are by yourself in the car? some by kelly clarkson

3. If you had a night to yourself, and money was no object, what would you do? scrap shop and then scrap!

4. What is your guilty pleasure? buying scrappy things

5. What is the farthest place you have traveled away from your home? korea

6. Last book that you couldn't put down? the wednesday letters

7. When you want to escape into another time, what movie do you watch? how to lose a guy in 10 days

8. What is your favorite local escape? anywhere quiet

9. How do you escape on a budget? plan for it

Best food you've ever had while on vacation. jerk chicken in guam (YUM)

little fishies

the kiddos thoroughly enjoyed swim lessons this summer and are getting ready to start them again. when i asked ella if she was a little fishy she said no, she was a mermaid. i agree:)

09-09-09 the special birthday

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here is the dress she BEGGED me for...but i refused to buy it for her. then one day when she wasn't with me, i snuck out to the store, bought it, washed it and had it hanging in her doorway for her to see when her eyes opened this morning. she was very excited!

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these are the cupcake toppers for abby's birthday cupcakes for school. she loved them. she wanted a girly skull theme and i did find some party supplies, but nothing for the cupcakes, so i pulled out my cricut and made them. the scallop circle is from a punch i have, the skull is from the lifes a beach cart, the bow is from the paper dolls cart and then the eyes and the design on the bow are stickles.





all in all she had a great day, dressed like a princess, was sang lots of happy birthday songs, ate cake, and overall had a fabulous b-day.

and i just can't believe she is already 7. (sniff, sniff)...where did my baby go?

what am i?

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do you know what this is? pretty cool pattern huh? i love bold patterns especially in black and white.

my kiddos start school this week and i am a little sad for summer to be ending and having them go off again. they sure drive me bonkers but we have had a great summer overall and i don't want to see it come to an end. such is life.

more summer recap pics to follow...

tag team terror

created this layout for a friend. these are her furbabies. this was also the 1st time i have used my sewing machine on a layout. i was a little crooked, but not bad for the 1st time.

we are gearing up for the start of school around here...just in case i am scarce in the coming weeks. lots to look forward to...birthdays and the big homecoming (finally)... so i will be around, some weeks more than others...

lies, hairy melons & weird kids

ok, ok...you got me...we didn't MOVE. that was one of our local castles that we went exploring thru. lots of fun still, gorgeous weather...and just a hint of fall in the air. (sniff, sniff, whine).

moving onto my real house...here are some updated pics of my garden, mainly for my parents.

one small, hairy little melon...

and then after a little rain...it grew... now the question is whether it matures before the frost hits hard....

and lastly another goofy pic of my girls... while we were storming the castle.

we've moved!

i know its sudden and all, LOL...but i just fell in love with this place when i saw it and i couldn't pass it up! hahahaha!







gorgeous huh? my own little private castle!







now here's the shocking part:







i have to bring these guys along...but there is LOTS of room (or should i say ROOMS) for them to run thru)



and when i get tired, i can sit out on my ENORMOUS porch. ahhh...the life of being oh so wealthy!

i am booking now for the fall. anyone wanna come visit?

think matt will be surprised? LOL!!

growing up too fast

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here is another challenge. had to use cherry red and teal on a layout and use a quote as well. obviously i haven't figured out my journaling yet...but i am sure it will come to me soon.





hard to believe abby was only like 8 months old in those pics. where has the time gone? there are moments i want to pull my hair out and other ones that bring me to my knees. i guess thats motherhood.