Random Trivia...

Today I was reading Kelly Crowe's blog and she had done a quiz...a get to know me better kind of quiz. So I thought I would pass this one on. I love doing this with my friends and relatives, I have learned things I never knew about them before.

4 jobs I've had:

nanny

tree waterer (at a garden center)

teacher of almost every elementary grade

momma

4 movies I could watch over and over again:

Pride & Prejudice

Emma

Only You

2 Weeks Notice (Are you sensing a theme here?)

4 places I've lived:

Kalispell, Montana

Boise, Idaho

Denver, Colorado

currently in Congerville, IL

4 TV shows I watch:

American Idol (I must admit that I am officially hooked this season, after not seeing any of last season.)

The Big Idea on CNBC

What Not to Wear

Divine Design

4 places I've been:

Mexico

Myanmar

Virgin Islands

Hawaii (the hotter the better)

4 people who email me (regularly):

my mom

my sister

Lindee G.

J Crew (I don't know if that one counts or not...but it's true!)

4 of my favorite foods:

lasagna!!!

smothered burritos

my dad's grilled steaks...mmmmnnn

salads

4 places I'd rather be right now:

ANYWHERE WARM!

Love Children's Home in Myanmar South East Asia

Paris

Playing on the beach with my kids

4 things I look forward to:

A clean and organized house

The weekend

Visiting family (out of state)

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N

That's it! If you blog you should definitely put this on there and let everyone get to know you a littel better. Tomorrow the site goes live so don't forget to check back to see the new kit! I just know you're gonna love it! I will post layouts I made with it tomorrow with some details of how they came together...can't wait.

From McDonalds

Here I am posting from the McDonalds Playplace. Is this a great country or what?? The kids get to have a little play time, and I get to get a little work done. Brilliant! Usually you get free WiFi here, but it appears that now they are beginning to charge. Today I got a coupon so I could use it for free. Woohoo. When we were at CHA, we used the McDonalds WiFi and we did have to pay, but the cost in minimal. So we may have to do this more often. This afternoon will be spent scrapbooking and I can hardly wait. I have all of these ideas that I can't wait to actually to get started on it all. So hope you have a great Wednesday and check back to the site for the March kit to be posted on the first!!

Busy, busy...

Well, it was another productive day around here. Lots accomplished...I was even tempted to get the car washed, but there is still too much slush on the ground. If you saw my car though...I should have washed it anyway. LOL. It seems that everytime I take the time to wash the car, we get rain, or snow or a nice mix of both, increasing my frustration.

Thought I would share a funny picture I ran accross the other day. I took this because there is evidence everywhere I look that the kids have been there. Most mornings when I pull on my boots there are squishy lizards and plastic animals who have spent the night in the cozy toe of my shoe. Tripping over toys throughout the day, and finding the kids belongings in unusual places. Like my purse, my coat pockets, and EVERYWHERE in the house. This penguin spent the day in the pantry (Tanner painted him all by himself.) The reason I photographed it is so I can remember this sweet time of having little ones. The day will soon come when there won't be stuffed animals and fairytale land to pick up. I will no longer find a toy snake tucked under my pillow, or find penguins in the pantry.
I want to cherish this time in their lives (in my life) and soak it all in. I don't want to hurry along and forget about all of the wonderful things that are happening RIGHT now. I want to document these ordinary, everyday things that to me are just as important as the first day of school and the first tooth they lose. This is where life happens, in these moments, and it may not make sense to some, but for me this brings my focus back to what's really important. Really, isn't everyday life beautiful?

Beeeea-utiful!

Well we woke up to some snow this morning and it was just like a "fairytale land" as Chloe likes to say. Everything looked like it had just been dusted with powdered sugar. It was beautiful and we had the whole day home together. I think this is the prettiest snow we have gotten this year! We only got around 3 inches, which is wonderful...it's just enough to play in, but not too much to shovel and drive in. I spent the afternoon and evening putting together the kits for March...and I must say that they are cute, cute, cute! The March kit is packed with goodies. Lots of fun things to play with and get creative with. I was going through pictures of what I would use this kit for and really and truly could NOT decide. It just about went with all of them...birthday, travel, winter, school, Easter, they just worked! One of my friends plans to scrapbook her honeymoon pictures with the kit...yep I told you it was versatile! (*By the way Christy...you are the BEST...thank you so much for all of your help today!!!)

Here is one of the pictures that I am planning to use the kit with. It's a picture from our trip a year ago to Myanmar, South East Asia. We worked at the Love Children's Home which is the orphanage that our church supports. I don't think you could really call it work though...there was too much fun and LOVE involved to consider it labor. These kids have just stolen my heart...and to get to see my own children interact with them on this trip was incredible. I had been once before I had children, and the second time around with a 2 and 3 year old in tow was a totally different story. I have gobs of pictures to scrapbook from that trip, so I am determined to get them started. (I have a whole album made from my first trip there.)

This is in the taxi that took us to and from the orphanage every day. It was about a 45 min. drive one way. (Isn't she a good sister??) This picture just melts my heart! This photo was taken almost exactly a year ago...and I cannot believe the change in both of the kids. All I did was blink and it is a year later. Definitely one of the perks of having my kids 18 months apart is they are the best of friends. They take care of each other. They are great playmates, and I am so thankful that I will always have this photograph to remember their deep love for each other. (I may have to pull out this photograph when they are teenagers and NOT the best of friends.) But for now, I'll cherish these tender moments. (And make a scrapbook page about it of course!)

Lovin' this...

I told you earlier about my love for bags...and here's another one. I got this at the Body Shop and a percentage of the proceeds go to charity. I really liked the circular text and the "Made With PASS!ON" that's on it. I thought it was a great idea to use the exclamation point as the letter "I." Plus I just liked what it said. I use it to carry all of my music back and forth from guitar lessons.


I thought I would post a picture of Amanda and myself with Jenni Bowlin, as I just got an email confirmation of my order from CHAW. She (and her husband Jared) are just way too nice. I loved her booth. Full of great things. I can't wait to get my product from her!! Yea!!!I have some great photos of her booth. It's just dripping with inspiration. I laughed out loud when she told me that she and Jared were husband and wife. I think sometimes we know a LOT more about these famous scrapbookers than they think we know! I love her style and the new products are darling!!



Have a wonderful start to your week! Blessings...

Super Quick!

I wanted to just leave a quick note for today...sickness has struck at our house and it's going to be a long day. I am praying for a speedy return to health. But this means lots of hugs and cuddling, and "Mommy will you rest here with me?" What parent could turn that down? So I am off to my full-time occupation of mom duty.

*I was catching up on Candice Stringhams blog and she has a cute list of love themed songs that she put together for Valentine's Day. I must say that we do have almost the same taste in music! here's the link: http://candicestringham.typepad.com/aperture_14_focused_blur/

EnJOY!!

TGIF...

Well I am very excited to give you all a little sneak peek of what's to come for our March kit...

I just love these colors and these products. It has bits and pieces from some of my favorite companies. A little grungeboard...a little Heidi Swapp paint, KI lace cardstock, an exclusive hand-made wool felt rabbit, and beautiful papers. I really can't wait to play with it! So here is a little visual of what is to come...

*The "March" flash card is not part of the kit contents...just for display.

Also in other Freehand Scraps news, I have had several of you contact me about international shipping and shipping to Canada. I am happy to ship to wherever you would like, and all you need to do is email me and I will give you the extra shipping cost quotes. So don't let your address deter you from getting one of these super cute kits!

Hope you have a wonderful Friday!!