Ready to Ship.

Sarah has decided this little boy doll needs a new home. We have packed him up carefully. He will begin his journey tomorrow. In just a few short days he will arrive at his new home in Boston to live with Cory. He does not have a name yet. We can't wait to hear what Cory chooses. Sarah thinks this little bitty twin will have more exciting adventures with a boy. I do too.

Real life begins again tomorrow. School, work, and the rest. I will make a quick trip to Hot Springs to drop off my Duck, Duck, Goose sale items. I have spent hours ironing and pricing this stuff. The Chihuahuas made this even more difficult by chewing my Rowenta cord in half. I guess we are lucky they both survived. They are even more lucky my husband is a handy man capable of fixing just about anything.

Ladies Who Lunch.

Let me say again how much I have loved this week. I have accomplished a lot of cleaning and several scrapbook pages. I have watched my Twilight DVD and every single special feature on the second disc. I hear rumors there is a third disc. That makes me quite unhappy with Amazon. I caught a lot more in the second viewing. It's almost like a Star Trek cult thing. There is so much you don't get if you haven't read the books. After the movie Mike said "So what happens next?" Seriously. How can I condense 3 massive books packed with story down? That does concern me for the next movie, New Moon. I thought Twilight was too condensed. New Moon is twice as long. They are currently filming it and I can't wait to see it.

I have worked out hard. I did advanced tapes every day this week. I was exhausted by lunch on Wednesday because of Barry's Bootcamp. It is a 40 minute body weight only drill. My arms are wonderfully sore all through the shoulder and triceps area.

Here is my most recent layout. This is from our trip to Boston last spring. I loved this cute little restaurant and the pictures we took.

Spring Break.

It has been so wonderful to have NOTHING scheduled for a whole week. It really is heaven. Time to workout at length. Time to seriously clean and still have time for fun. Here are a few pictures. The Iris is actually in my own yard. Most featured flowers come from other people's gardens. This is from my own flower bed. The dogwood blossom is from Don's yard. The beautiful eggs are a gift I received for my birthday. They are part of a collection by Jim Shore called Heartwood Creek. I am slowly building quite a collection. I change them up each season. I love the colors and hand carved look. The baby duck is precious. Spring is all around us. I am loving this week.

We made Jamie very happy today with a trip to the bowling alley. I have to say Grandma did really well. she bowled several strikes. Pa and Jamie were checking out the Pro Shop. A Coca-cola ball was for sale. They were both excited about that one. I think Jamie has a new item on his wish list.

Knife Collection.

Recently Jamie became the owner of a very special collection. My Dad has collected knives for years. Now Jamie has developed quite an interest. So Pa Gatlin was quite generous and passed some of them down. Jamie of course is thrilled. He was mesmerized by the selection. Those things are wicked sharp. His favorite is the switchblade. Another favorite is a survival knife, complete with matches and fish hooks. The plan is to display them in his room. Very cool. Thank you Pa.

Memphis Zoo.

The zoo was awesome. No doubt about it. Many people recommended it as the place to go in Memphis. Spring was in the air. The animals were playful and put on quite a show. We spent the whole day there. It is hard to say what exhibit was the most entertaining. The Bengal Tigers were something to see. They were literally as big as horses. The pictures don't do justice to their size. Just look at those huge paws. They command a healthy amount of fearful respect. The Polar bears were mesmerizing. We watched through the windows as they swam and dived at least 30 minutes. They would swim right to the face at the window, look, do a back flip, and swim away. The interaction was amazing. A baby monkey entertained a huge crowd for another 30 minutes or more. He kept trying to climb a tree with his stick. It was hilarious. The China exhibit with the Panda bears alone was worth the trip. Check here for more pictures. I am posting my favorites. I love the shot of the Eagle. This was through wire but it still looks great. The Zoo was fun for the whole family. I think we will plan a trip next year to see exhibits under construction.

We also ate at Hard Rock Cafe on Beale street. The dinner was great. There were even more cool Elvis items, including gold records, on display here. We made it about 1 to 2 blocks down Beale before we turned around and said maybe not. This was at 5:00. I have no desire to walk down that street in the dark. People were already drinking quite liberally at every step. The language was colorful. We saw all we needed to see. Jamie was especially eager to leave. He did not like it one bit. Sarah is still too young to understand. We went back to the hotel and the kids swam in the pool.

We had a great time. Took lots of pictures. Bought some t shirts. Memphis was a perfect mini- vacation. Wait! I almost forgot. I took a side trip to Archiver's (a major scrapbook chain). Mike did not think I could make it there and back alone. The Garmin is a wonderful piece of technology. Shopping there was worth the trip alone. I did not take pictures (should have) because I was too busy shopping. Mike was quite relieved to see me and the Expedition return in one piece.

"No black, no white, just the blues."

We decided to take a mini-vacation this spring break. Memphis was the winner due to several reasons. We have not been there in years. It was an easy drive on one tank full. NONE of us had ever been to Graceland. How is that possible? A vital part of American history missed completely? Graceland was well worth the trip. It was fascinating on so many levels to me. I can only imagine how my parents generation would feel. It was a step back in time. We arrived at lunch and began with fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. All agreed they were good. The tour was well organized with programmed headphones and guides. The commentary included Elvis's voice and music. Monitors all around played video footage of him doing anything and everything at home. I found it to be very melancholy. The pictures featured here are a few of my favorites. The rest of the 174 are all here if you would like to see the rest. I think they came out well considering no flash was allowed. The house is beautiful and well preserved considering the amount of people who trek through daily. We went on a random Thursday afternoon. Cars were filing in the parking lot one after the other. The front entry was my favorite room. The stained glass is even better in person. I can hear music from the piano filling the whole house. Gold records were EVERYWHERE. When you think about his success it's no wonder. To actually see them line the walls floor to ceiling, blows your mind. The picture here is just part of a two story wall covered in records. Even the costumes were impressive to see. You begin to feel the impact he had on culture in every way. His style, music, and movies still influence the world today. We heard several different languages as we toured. I am so glad we went. The black/white quote is from t shirts for sale in Memphis. Another quote written on one of the walls at Graceland- "Before anyone did anything, Elvis did everything."

Birthday Blessings.

Each day is a gift. I thank God for each one of them. 40 is a nice round number. The kids at ALC refuse to believe I am really that old. Hours of P.E. class have them convinced I am much younger. That is a great feeling. I have no complaints really. My life is very, very good. Wonderful family and friends make it that way. I had a lot of beautiful wishes on Facebook today. That really is an amazing place. I love the daily connection to people I know and love. I never would have guessed who it would connect me with.

The playground was a sea of green today. I really should have snapped a quick shot. Big Mike took these for me today. I had to have this picture.

Prayer Request for my niece Caty- She is having knee surgery tomorrow at UAMS. Her knee has been messed up for weeks from a soccer injury. She will spend spring break in physical therapy. Major bummer for her and the family.

Breaking Ground.

Today was a BIG day for my church. After years of meeting in trailers we are finally building a beautiful new building. Tim Lundy and others from Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock attended our ground breaking ceremony. If everything goes well we will all be under one roof in 275 days. This will be added to my prayer list. I really think FBC Benton will explode at that point. People just aren't willing to take the time and see what is in our little trailer park. We prayed and sang songs at the future site of the worship stage. It was a wonderful feeling. The excitement was tangible. The praise goes to God alone on this. Only he could have held this church together and made it possible. I included a before picture here. Each building is a classroom or office. I will post updates every month or so. I really am thrilled to see this long talked about dream become a reality.

Terrific Tiramisu.

What a beautiful picture that is. We enjoyed an early birthday lunch today. My birthday is Tuesday. I will be at work, Mike will be out of town. It will be the usual crazy weekday. The restaurant of choice is Macaroni Grill. The Tiramisu was perfection. It probably is a good thing Benton has so few restaurants. It's hard enough keeping the weight down with out them. I enjoyed every bite. The family then indulged me with a quick trip to Scrapbook Corner. Thank you family for a wonderful time.

Daddy's Home.

Mike came home Thursday afternoon. I was waiting with the camera like the paparazzi. This is the one picture he is not scowling at me. One day I will have to videotape the dogs reaction to his homecomings. They are both really bonded with him. Especially Dean. He almost passes out with excitement when Mike walks through that door. They leap, cry, bark, and prance about. The tails wag so fast they are a blur. It is quite the show. I am just a poor substitute when he is gone. Mike wants to know why we don't greet him at the door the exact same way.

Cute Layout.

I have actually been scrapbooking. Finally. The room is organized and current pictures are printed. This page is so cute. For Sarah's 9th birthday I took the girls to Krispy Kreme. They loved it. We watched the whole doughnut process and wore the cute hats. Who needs birthday cake when you have fresh hot doughnuts?

Sarah had exciting news this week. She won a poster contest at school. The competition was to make a fire escape plan for your family. She had to draw the house and label a way out of each bedroom. Her reward is breakfast with the firemen and a ride to school on the firetruck. It is a big deal. The whole 3rd grade will be outside waiting and cheering. Very cool. What a great photo opportunity that will be. Sarah can't wait. The really amazing thing is Josh won the same contest last year. I'm not sure how lightning struck twice. We are not going to question it.

Afternoon Drive.

Here are just two common sights of our afternoon commute. During the school year we cover lots of ground around town. The library, bank, and Hastings are regulars also.I spend way too much time waiting in front of Caldwell. It does give me time to read, I should not complain. I could not resist the trees in front of Caldwell. The spring blooms are so short lived. Our crazy weather does not help. One day is 80 and the next is 30. I for one am ready for the 80's to continue. Sarah thinks we should be able to stop at Sonic every single day. I actually wish we could too. If calories did not count maybe we could. Oreo Blizzards are at the top of both our lists of favorites.

Papa Hulsey.

Last Wednesday Papa Hulsey celebrated his 92nd birthday. Unfortunately we were all sick and unable to enjoy the cake and festivities. We were sad to miss the very special occasion. Today the kids and I went over to say hello. We had to take a picture of course. The beautiful flowers are all from Mama's backyard. There is a lot of spring color around town. It was wonderful to see them both. We are blessed to call them both family.

We are about recovered from our bout with the flu. The time change did not help at all. One hour shouldn't make that much difference but it did. A good nights sleep really helps recuperation. Mike is off to Houston and we start our busy week. The kids are both scheduled for standardized testing before spring break. You can feel the pressure as they prepare for them.

I am so excited the new season of Dancing with the Stars begins tonight. Can't wait to see the fabulous costumes and who comes out of the gates strong. They make it look so easy.

Quick Project.

We are feeling a little better around here. Everyone worked to remove the germs today. The house looks and smells so clean it's wonderful. What a beautiful spring day! The whole family including dogs went for a walk today. Otherwise we have stayed home trying to recuperate. Sarah is bored to death begging to have a friend over. That is my one complaint about this house. There are no neighbors for the kids to play with on a daily basis.

I worked on a fun little project for Sarah. This birthday album is for her to journal in and have. The album is made out of the cheap plastic albums you see beside the register wherever you get your pictures processed. Toss out the generic cover picture. You can then alter this little album in every way imaginable. We made one last year for her Wings field trip. A very cool way to scrap lots of photos. I am thinking of making a prayer journal out of one. My Bible study group exchanges cards weekly. This would be perfect to slip those cards in. I would also include pictures family. Small and easy to carry in the purse or in the class notebook.

I had to include a picture of Sarah's art. This was a school project. She had to make an ice cream monster. I was pretty impressed with Chocolate Mint Man. He was scary and yummy at the same time.

Detail Pictures.

Here are a few close up shots from around the room. I will start at the top and comment on each one. The first picture is a re purposed microwave cart. It holds a lot of stuff. Die cuts and acrylic stamps are organized in containers. Paper scraps sized for the die cuts are stored in the basket. The drawer holds cutting tools. A 12 x 12 cutting mat is on top of the cart. A cute wire basket holds small bottles of glitter and flowers.

Next is a collection of favorite photos. They are from trips to Disney and other places. Below the shelves are storage drawers holding miscellaneous items. These came for Target long ago.

The next photo is ink pad and ribbon storage. The idea is to have like items grouped together for easy use. All the stamping stuff is within arms reach. This is stored on top of an old chest of drawers. Each drawer has wooden stamps and supplies stored by category.

The bulletin board is next. It is more of an inspiration board. It will hold favorite photos and new scrap supplies. These are the things I hope to scrap soon. I am sure Sarah will fill the chalkboard with art. I love the rainbow of paint stored on the shelf. On the table below you can see a clipboard on an easel. This will display favorite layouts before they go into an album.

The ladder shelf near the door holds photo storage boxes and large chipboard pieces. Decorative items include old cameras I picked up at a flea market. A family beach picture I love is framed and displayed. This room is a combination of old pieces of furniture, Mike's office furniture, and scrap pieces. I really think it all works well together. Most of my ideas are from a book on scrapbook organization. It guides you through the process step by step. It helps you decide what you use the most and how to best lay everything out.

Now the question is- Will I organize the rest of the house? I sure hope so. The rest of the house is looking pretty neglected. I think Jamie's room is next. I have a panic attack every time I walk in. He is ready for a teenage room with a rock n roll theme. Sarah's room isn't much better. That really surprises me. For now I will just enjoy my room and catch up on actually scrapbooking.

Scraproom Pictures.

We are all battling some sort of sickness in this house. I am not going to call it the flu, but it's close. It has really wrecked this week to pieces. Jamie started on Monday. By Tuesday night Mike and I were not feeling well. Sarah went to the school nurse today with a variety of complaints. I will take her back to the doctor tomorrow for the second time this week. We already have an ENT visit scheduled for the end of the month. I'm afraid she can't wait that long. We went through this with her last year and ended up at the allergy center. Her tests all came back non reactive. So on Monday I told Dr. Brashears Sarah had not breathed through her nose since November. It was time for another specialist. I was only able to work one day this week. Major bummer all the way around.

On a lighter note, my scraproom is looking really good. It is finally camera ready. I took advantage of being home during the day with good light. Today I am posting big pictures. Tomorrow I will post detail pictures. I really love it. The room is all around fabulous. A huge thanks to Mike for making it possible. I so love having drawers to put things in. Not only is it pretty it is totally functional. Each area is organized with specific tools and products. I will give more details tomorrow. I need serious medicine and a bed right now.

Watchdog Dad.

Caldwell has a cool program for Dads. They can volunteer their time and spend a day at the school. The dads help all around the building. Typical duties include: recess, lunch duty, reading tutor, patrolling the halls, car duty and more. Their day is coordinated with their child so they spend time with them. Sarah got to introduce her dad during morning announcements. Sarah has been begging Mike to do this for a while. She was ecstatic this morning. They both wore the official watchdog shirt. Mike says the day went well. I'm sure he will blog about it. I am so proud of him. It is a great program. The kids and teachers are used to their presence and love to have their help. As a volunteer and sub I love seeing the men there. They provide a male role model where there is often not one. Caldwell does not have one man on staff currently. I have seen how some kids bond with the men who come often. Honestly, I think all parents should spend a day volunteering just to see what really happens in those classrooms.

I made beef stew in the crock-pot today. Delicious! It smelled heavenly when I came in. The puppies were about to have a nervous breakdown. The smell was driving them crazy. Shy little Dean was in my face begging for a bite. They enjoyed a bowl mixed with their kibble. I received rave reviews from the canines.

Cake and Presents.

After church we invited the grandparents over for some cake and ice cream. It was a beautiful day. The puppies have never seen so many people at one time. They were overwhelmed. Jamie loved his gifts. The Beatles picture is for his room. We are planning to redo his room in a cool rock n roll theme this summer. He absolutely loved the gift from Ma and Pa Freeze. The sword is hidden in a beautiful wooden cane. It has been a fun weekend and I am worn out from all of this celebrating. Jamie had a fabulous fourteenth birthday.

Lunch and a Movie.

The boys stayed up till 2 am last night. I was fast asleep for that kind of fun. The plan today is to take Jamie out to lunch at the restaurant of his choice. He invited Alyssa to come and then to a movie. Mike took them to see Paul Blart Mall Cop. That movie has done amazingly well for such a silly comedy. Jamie and Alyssa loved it. Is she beautiful or what? She is incredibly sweet too. Then they hung out and played some of his new games together. It was a great way to spend the day. How cool is this- it actually snowed today. Just enough to thrill the kids. I missed pictures of the flurries. I had a ladies prayer meeting at the church. Our weather is crazy.

The Party Begins.

This is painful. Jamie's birthday weekend begins with a guy's night out. He invited several of his friends over. Fourteen year old boys do not appreciate Mom's with cameras. I was very self controlled and sad. They ate pizza and played games. I took them bowling. They had a blast. Jamie loved it. I would have snuck a shot at the bowling alley but it was so dark it was pointless. Two of the boys were new friends from junior high so I was on my best behavior. Jamie is a very laid back kid but he has definitely hit the teens. The only thing harder than Jamie being 14 is Sarah. She will be 10 this November. My baby will be 10. That's tough. So here I have pictured the evidence of a party. They really had a good time.

Piano Practice.

Sarah has piano practice on Thursdays with Mrs. Lena. Both my kids love her. She is such a positive influence on them. I love how they leave each week with a feeling of confidence. I enjoy listening to their progress each time. I am so thankful for her. I believe she was purposely placed in the lives of my kids by an awesome God. The beautiful spring flowers are from her garden.