Vacation

I am on vacation right now, in a very quiet condo......baby sleeping, Anthony out, the girls in their room, Alex and William went to a baseball game..... and I am alone. This very rare quiet moment I use to peruse my favorite website- www.twopeasinabucket.com. I know some may consider this quite lame, but I love seeing others' creativity. Strangely enough, looking at scrapbook pages, design team layouts, and other fun creative stuff makes me happy. And this moment of happiness make mes me think about what else makes me happy...and right now just being at this amazing ocean, spending the days playing in the sun with my family makes me truly content.

It took me probably 2 days to remember how to even slow down, enjoy the quiet moments, enjoy being STILL, and remind myself how to simply RELAX. This quite simply my "control + alt + delete" where I can reset myself, look at my daily life and think about how I will handle life when I go back to "reality." As a wife, mom of 4, teacher and server at Disney, I never seem to just STOP. I jump from call to call, project to call, to cooking or cleaning, paying bills and/or worrying about it ALL THE TIME. It doesn't overcome be all at once, but as I get consumed by life a little at a time, I let it all get to me.

So, while most people make a New Year's Resolution, I will make a Vacation Resolution. One of my goals for this coming year is to RELAX at least once a day for at least 30 minutes and either do something creative, read, or just simply take a breather. I know this may seem so silly, but if you knew me, you'd know how hard this will be for me! You see, I am a little hyper!!

The other goal I have for this year is to stop worrying so much. I can only do so much, and I can start leaving more up to God. It doesn't mean I will just be a bystander in my life, but that I am not going to worry about stuff over which I have no control.

Another goal for myself (and for my husband) is to know every item on my credit report and by Dec. not owe anyone except the mortgage and student loan.

Lastly, I want to take time to be more creative- whether it's my scrapbooking or photography.

My family is waiting for me to watch them play Jenga, so this will have to wait as I am also resolving to spend more fun times with my kids!

Happy Easter!

This beautiful and very significant season makes me spiritually fall to my knees and humbles me.
May Jesus' sacrifice for me not have been in made in vain. I can't help but want to beg for forgiveness:

Lord, help me to be a better follower of your son, Jesus. Help me to lead by example, and let me always make choices out of LOVE- the same kind of love God has for me. May the Lord use my gifts in a way that brings glory to HIM. Allow me to learn from my faults and failures. Help me overcome strife and struggles so I can be the kind of woman the Lord wants me to be. Let my actions, more than my words, speak volumes about the amazing God that created us. Help me to overcome fear and worry so I can lead the life of ultimate freedom that Jesus has ALREADY claimed for me. When I bask in success may the glory be to the most HIGH- Jesus, the one who died for us and loves us still.

May Jesus' sacrifice and love for you give you peace.

Happy Easter 2011

As we drove into the parking lot at school, Alex said: ""Mom, I want to go to UCF because it is a good college and I can live at home and visit elementary whenever I want. I can see all the teachers, if they don't get cut.."

I am sure he has no idea how many messages I heard from the one simple sentence, but this is what I thought:

1. He is 8 years old and planning for college. This is so "Alex" simply because he is a my little go-getter. I don't doubt he will be my overachiever!

2. The teachers in his life have had a huge impact on him already! His Kindergarten teacher went to UCF and is a big UCF fan, so he has talked about it since he was 5! So, I am confident UCF will still be in his "Top 5" when he is actually going to apply.

3. The fact that we are such a close family right now makes him believe that he will actually want to live at home- even when he in college. I first thought this displayed his innocence, but in our family, I am wondering if anyone will ever move out.....but I am ok if they don't.....well as long as they're in school and/or doing their share.

4. He loves his elementary teachers. His school, Sunrise Elementary, has been a part of his life since birth. He knows people there love our family and are wonderful and supportive to him. How cool is that?

5. He understands, to a certain extent of course, that when he is adult he will make his own choices, thus the "whenever I want" part.

6. The state of our economy is part of his daily life- a childhood marred by reality...or is this part of his package? He knows teachers can be "cut" just like a stray thread hanging on his shirt sleeve. Then I chide myself thinking that his reality is such a great one compared to others.

Lunch with one of favorites- Addie!

It has been so long since I even thought about blogging, I totally forgot I had this. Lately my life seems to revolve around work, kids, house, "OMG what's for dinner?" and repeat. One day turns into a week and that turns into a series of months. I am NOT complaining, it's just reality for me right now. I am acutely aware it will not be always be like this so I appreciate the many true blessings that surround me. If only I had a few more hours in a day.....

Last weekend I spent a whole day at the Scrapbook Expo- all by myself- and had a wonderful time. I even took 2 classes and my favorite was "Thirty Minute Pages" and it was presented by Prima marketing- you know the ones that make those amazing scrapbook flowers??? Above are the pages I made in that class.

Yes, I missed my regular scrapbooking buddies, but this solitary experience made me reflect on my own creativity and where it can and should fit in my current reality. I will be honest and tell you I have no innate creativity- it is all learned! I am not the bestor greatest at anything, but I love doing it! It is an area in which I'd like to grow and continue to work on- today- not tomorrow or next year. I have let my creative hobby get brushed aside because of "life" but I realized I really miss that part of "me."

So, my wonderful husband set up a table for me in the family room and there I have 'camped' for the time being. I was a little worried Addie would be all over it....I mean what 20 month old wouldn't just LOVE to play in all those 'toys?' But it only took a few "no's" and she is now happily playing with her toys beside me which I think is totally da bomb diggity! I actually can't believe it! So, the last few evenings all I have actually done is mount cards my kids received for their birthdays and graduation, and even worked on organizing some Christmas cards. Not too creative, is it?

Well, the reality is I cannot create a single thing when I have stuff everywhere. I have pictures and cards and "stuff" jammed in my scrapbook stash so I have to organize and clean up. After I organize & clean up, then I start to reacquaint myself with my tools and supplies and I peruse all kinds of creative things on www.twopeasinabucket.com. All of a sudden, I become "inspired" and that's when there is no stopping me! But it's a process that can't be rushed or forced, it just happens....... and I can't wait to get there. :)

Retirement Album


I was asked by my boss to create this cover for one of our colleagues who is retiring. I was a little nervous because I usually only create layouts for my family and me. Well, since I created it for work, I went ahead and asked our tech person to help me scan it. So, voila, here it is. Perhaps I should invest in a new scanner to scan my own pages and save them digitally. Yeah, that's great, just add something else to my 'to do list!' LOL!

I recently updated this blog and am starting fresh. I hope to write over the summer and even practice some of my creative writing. I found a great book at Barnes and Noble that I think will be very inspiring. Maybe if I get a gift card as an end of the year gift, I can splurge on this, and other writing books.

I love to write, and when I am driving, or cleaning the house, I will think of great things to tell in a story. Then by the time I get to a sheet of paper or computer, my mind is totally blank. So, maybe these books will give me a little push in the right direction.

I also seem to have a lot on my mind right now, so much that it is hard to sort out what I want to talk or think about. School is ending, though, and I hope with some rest, my brain will chill out a bit!

30 THINGS I ENJOY DOING (not in any particular order):
1. have long conversations with my 5 year old little man
2. playing cards with 16 year old soon to be big man
3. doing girly things with my 13 year old
4.scrapbooking (especially with friends)
5. reading on the floor at Barnes and Noble when I don't have to worry about where I have to be at any particular time
6. sitting on the shore of a lovely beach with my little beach chair- my feet in the water- watching my kids play and watching the people who casually walk by
7. making a sumptuous meal where I don't have to worry about a budget or time
8.sleeping until I wake up totally on my own- especially in my own bed- I totally love my bed!!!9. reading the Sunday paper (on Sunday) while I sip on an exquisite cup of flavored coffee
10. having my hair washed by someone else~ heaven!
11. controling the remote control and DVR
12. kissing
13. fantasizing & daydreaming
14. taking walks along the beach with no destination in mind (finding shells optional)
15.traveling to other countries and meeting new people
16. meeting US immigrants and hearing their American dreams and how they arrived in the US
17. watching a child say, "Oh,I get it!" after teaching something new.
18. surfing the net- allowing my experience to be determined by the ADHD like symptoms that I have one when following links to links to links and not knowing how I got there!
19. listening to 80's music
20. writing
21. the ability to worship as I choose, and knowing there is a GOD above who is in control.
22. keeping precious secrets (and sometimes sharing them...)
23. RAKS- Random Acts of Kindness
24. finding cute web graphics to use on my web pages
25. walking into my house when it has been CLEANED by someone else and smells nice
26. taking a drive along a country road in the spring- especially in Georgia.
27. remembering good friends
28. having lunch out with friends
29. having vodka grapefruits or rum and diet coke for FREE on Thursday nights at Gator's Dockside
30. sharing a genuine hug.

There are actually many more things I am thinking of but it looks my list will get out of control!!!!

I LOVE life and I am so blessed for every day I have breath!!!