My Swaps are Done!!

Whoopee!

These swaps are always stressful, I worry that they are not swappy enough or good enough, so I really stress every time a new mini is coming out and as usual I wait to the last possible second.
These were kinda a pain to make because of all the cutting of petal, punching, faux stitching and threading of ribbon...so I know this one is swap-worthy!

Your Own Slogan

Used this Slogan Generator this morning and it assigned me this slogan based on just my name:

Splash Some Simone All Over

I almost peed my pants I laughed so hard!

Don't Worry Be Happy

Got a lot on my mind these days making it nearly impossible to think about anything else. Major life crap, major headaches, major heartache...all just crippling. Makes me not want to think or talk about anything, just silence.

Along with all this crap, there is one thing that has been swirling around in my head for the past few weeks and it is the topic of happiness. I think for a 30 something single mom, I am not really in a place I ought to be. I haven't followed the plan I made for myself way back in my late teens, that's for sure. I know, I was way too young then to actually predict how things would go but I think every has a notion about how they would expect things to go. Or at least a guideline of sorts. Well, life didn't go the way I planned. Max happened. And I don't "blame" him for the course of my life at all, I think it just completely changed outlook on the path.

Way back before Max, I was that overachieving child who went out of their way to get attention, to be "involved" in school. I had my first job at 13 and never stopped working. I had a million ideas and plans in college and rebelled against my parents to do what I dreamed. I guess you could say I was a "go-getter". That's what made me happy, being constantly busy, working on a thousand things at once, trying to be the best at everything.

Then Max.

Everything changed for me. I appreciated the little things. Loved all the things that I had taken for granted for years. Didn't mind not working like a nut at all, actually loved it. I just wanted to be at home all the time. I wanted to do nothing. It has pretty much been that way since.

What makes me happy now is the most important thing in my life. And for me, it is being a mom, I just love that. Having fun with my family and appreciating them. Working less! I love working school hours. Getting together with friends once a month, in the past I sucked as a friend. Scrapbooking, as silly as it seems. Making dinner at home and knowing that the kid likes it. Teaching the boy something he has been struggling in school with for months. Working my SU! business and barely making a dime. Curling up in bed to watch Lost with Max and it being our thing. I love all this and it makes me happy.

At my ten year high school reunion, which I did not want to attend (and shouldn't have), I remember this girl who was a total yotch in high school coming up to me to chat. She went on and on about her fiance and downtown job for what seemed like an eternity. Then she turned and asked, "and you?" I told her and I will never forget her response, "that's it?" Since then, I have run into other people from the past and heard this same response 4 more times.

So, this leads me to ask myself, "Have I let myself down? Is happiness not as important as I am envisioning and should I just grow-up already?"
I don't know, just trying to figure everything out and find a new path that isn't as conventional as mine once was.

I Guess those Ipods really are Loud!

While reading the News of the Weird this week, I stumbled across this:

In Red Deer, Alberta, in April, Jesse Maggrah, 20, listening through earphones
to heavy-metal music while walking on Canadian Pacific Railway tracks, was hit
from behind by a train moving at about 30 mph, but survived. In his hospital bed
(broken ribs, punctured lung, other injuries), Maggrah said he remembers the
immediate aftermath: "I thought, 'Holy crap, dude, you just got hit by a
train.'" "Maybe the metal gods above were smiling on me, and they didn't want
one of their true warriors to die on them." [Edmonton Sun, 4-18-06]

and I laughed my ass off! How loud was the music and just how into it was this guy?!?!?!

Rain Rain Get the Heck out of Here!

It is wet and freezing here today! Officially 42 degrees right now, but it feels way colder! Brrrrr.
This is not spring weather at all. And I HATE the rain, way worse than snow.
Everytime I have the girls over on a Friday, the weather sucks. Is someone trying to tell me something?? This will not stop us from scrapping.
I am not really looking forward to Mother's Day this year. First of all, the weather is crap as opposed to last years warm and sunny. Max has told me, "You're gettin' nuthin' mom". Told him I would love for him to make me a little card to which I got a nice eyeroll. Plus, I have no plans. My own mother has already made other plans and my dad and stepmom live way too far with the cost of gas. I don't really mind, but would prefer not to cook or clean on Sunday and it looks like that is not going to happen.
I think maybe this crappy weather is just making everything else seem even crappier. Funny how this can affect me.
Doesn't matter, I know having the girls over and getting rid of stuff I have collected over the years will make me feel better. Anyone want some stickers??

My new buddy

Got me a new buddy.

I joined a Shrinking Peas group over on the Pub Message board of 2peas in order to get myself motivated to lose at least 10 pounds before I need to don a swimsuit. There are a bunch of us in this group and it gives me a chance to post on the board without fear of being bashed. I have been a member for over a year and lurked on that website way longer, but rarely post because of the drama that goes on over there quite frequently. Plus, most days it feels very much like being in high school again, cliques and all. Unfortunate, because it is an awesome scrapbooking website. But makes sense when you have that many women all together. Enough of the rant, back to the buddy....

So, my new pal....Kimberleigh13 is great. Super nice and we have the same goals or so it seems. She is quite the little motivator too, she checks up on me almost daily. I picked her because not only do we have about the same goals, but her scrapbook layouts are very similar to mine. I know it sounds kinda stupid, but it was something I looked for. This is probably my favorite layout of hers but you can see her whole gallery HERE as well.
Since we have buddied up, I have been doing crunches and leg lifts almost every night and even drinking water. I can't believe it myself. I need to buy a scale so I can see if I am actually diong anything, but I fear what it may say to me. I usually judge weight by how the pants fit and this week....they are a little loose. Yippee!!

Tag! I'm it!

Tagged by the Photo-fabulous April (perhaps I should change that to digital diva now??) If you haven't seen her photos, you really must!

Fun to get to know you......4 things to know about me, for instance, did you know...

Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Chinese Takeout Girl (at 13)
2. Landscaper at an Army base
3. Bartender
4. Cosmetics girl at the drug store, wore a pink smock

Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. Spinal Tap
2. Princess Bride
3. Say Anything
4. Rushmore

Four places I have lived:
1. Chicago
2. Waukegan (yuck)
3. Park Ridge
Wow, is that boring!

Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. The Office
2. Scrubs
3. Lost
4. Rescue Me

Four places I have been on vacation:
1. Austin, Texas
2. California (many many times!!!)
3. Florida
4. Denver

Four websites I visit almost daily:
1. 2peas
2. splitcoaststampers
3. bloglines (gotta see what everyone is up to)
4. stampin' up

Four of my favorite foods:
1. black olives
2. diet pepsi
3. chicken tacos
4. cocoa wheats

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. at home
2. on a beach in jamaica, rum punch in hand
3. by the pool in Mexico, margarita in hand
4. scrapbook store

Four States I have attended Church in.
1. Wisconsin
2. Iowa
3. Indiana
4. Illinois

Not tagging anyone, but feel free to do the challenge yourself, no pressure. But drop me a line if you do so I can check it out! K?

NSD

Happy Belated Scrapbooking Day!

Ok, so I didn't go to the expo as planned. (long story) And I didn't get together with anyone for some outrageous crop. But, I did scrapbook this weekend, how could I not? I got quite a few pages done too! I would love to share them all, but the scanner at work is on the fritz and I only have a feed scan at home. (new scanner on my wish list)
So, I took a photo of one and of course the glare doesn't help it. But, proof, I have been scrapbooking! And it feels damn good to make something other than a card for a change!
And as a side note, there is nothing wrong with cards, or making cards...I love both. But lately it has consumed all my paper crafting time and I truly just love scrapbooking more. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
And also, I made about 6 layouts this weekend, but none for the contest that I am supposedly entering that requires 20 layouts. I am really doing a swell job on that one, eh? I still have time! (spoken like a true procrastinator)

Blog Request Again!

Now it looks like this is too BIG, doesn't it? As much as I invite the visually challenged to read this blog, this font is way to large. How do I change it, I guess when I "fixed" it, I made it too big. You can email me instructions if you prefer (spazzgirl555@yahoo.com).
Thank you in advance!

I almost forgot about Donny!

I got an email from one of my cousins yesterday that I almost never talk to or see, getting older makes everyone way to busy these days. It was one of those emails that you know is something corny or mushy sweet that is always forwarded to you and I never open. Well, it caught my attention because it said, 70s child in the title and I figured it must be something good that she acutally sent me an email this year.

The email was the typical, you know you are a child of the 70s if.... But, what I loved about it and suspect why I got it, is because the pictures were like a flashback to my childhood. Images and feelings, I think I forgot about.

I was scrolling through the pictures, kinda reading the email, laughing to myself and then I saw this picture of my Donny Osmond doll...I screamed. I haven't seen a picture of this little guy or thought about him in a long time. I swear I felt like I was 8 years old again.

When I was little I loved the Donny and Marie Show. I also loved Lawrence Welk, what does that say? Well, my grandparents bought me this Donny doll for one of my birthdays or maybe Christmas, I can't even remember. They didn't buy Marie, only Donny. Well, at the time I already had Barbies and one Ken. I used to make up elaborate stories for them and I think even as a child they were a bit racey because there was only one Ken. But then, along came Donny with his flashy jumpsuit and microphone. Boy did they love him. He was also a little bit smaller than Ken, so he was always in that jumpsuit, but he could pull it off.

While I was looking at the pictures of things I haven't even seen in years as well as Donny, I felt this overwhelming feeling of what it was like back then. Like a flashback to a younger me. I instantly thought about my grandparents because most of the things (bike, rollerskates, Donny) in the email I had because they bought them for me. And because I remember them and what it felt like when they were around with their unconditional love. It reminded me how much I miss them and miss the simpler times as a child. Miss playing Barbies or dancing to The Lawrence Welk Show for my grandparents. I tried to remember what Jean Nate bath splash smells like and that I would give anything to spin out on my Big Wheels one more time.

I think this is one of the bigest reasons that I love pictures and scrapbooking. When I look at a picture I can actually feel it. Feel the moment. Almost relive it for a brief moment. Or sometimes realize things you never saw before.

After Donny, my grandparents also gave me this Farrah Faucet doll and just like the Donny she was oddly sized and couldn't share clothes with Barbie so she was always wearing the white jumpsuit. I will have to find my pictures of me and Farrah for a scrapbook page. This once again reminds me that I need more 'me' in my books.