What an honor!!!

What an honor! I was so excited to receive some products from Little Yellow Bicycle from their new line, Gen Z, coming out in January!!!!

How exciting! New products, new release, ahhhh......

So, I was thrilled to work with this paper, and these clear die cuts, and the ribbon, and the embellishments, oh, wow!!!! Such good looking stuff!!!

When I saw the guitar embellishments, I knew I had to use these American Idol pictures of Chappy at Disney World! Oh, so fun!!! He is ONE crazy kid!

And, the best part is, I have tons of more little fun things.......more layouts to come!

Still working on my December Daily

In the midst of all of the hustle and bustle of Christmas, this month's Scripts Kit was perfect.

I love the fun of this whimsy kit!!! So, I started my December Daily kit..........with great ambitions, and great goals for myself!!!

And, well, let's just say I made it to page 9! And, I have printed the pictures, for about 10 of the days! But, I am hoping to get to some of that this week!

So, atleast I have it started!!! I added some of the junk from my stash, etc, but you get the idea!

I love this little book so far!

And, can I say, I LOVE the Bella Blvd paper in this kit! Ai-yi-yi!!! So cute!!!

Share and share alike!

Of course, I love a good giveaway, and this is no exception......

Check out my sweet friend, Mellie's blog! She is the cutest!

http://melodeelangworthy.typepad.com/candid_thoughts_/

10 years of us! What a day!

Let me set the scene:

10 years ago....on bed rest. 9 weeks into my bed rest. Total misery.

Looking back now, I wish I had just laid there, and soaked it all in, instead of stressing about all that I could NOT do. I wish I had treasured every kick, and every rumble. I wish I had let Mason lay there with me more, and feel his new little brother move in my belly.....just one more time. If I could get those moments back, God knows I would!

I was NOT mentally recovered from losing Elijah. I was so scared about losing this baby, too. Every contraction...way too early. Every late night run to the doctor. I was scared. Not just scared, but TERRIFIED. Please, God. You know I can't handle this twice.

I was NOT yet recovered from the mental trauma of the house fire. Sometimes, laying on the couch, I could still get a quick smell of that smoke. Maybe from the walls, or just from the air moving throughout the house.

Still today, I am so fire-phobic, it is ridiculous.

So, those weeks of bedrest....just pure mental overload. On the meds, that make me crazy, but I am not supposed to move. What kind of a sick joke is that!

I digress.

So, on this particular Wednesday, I knew. I just knew. I could feel him moving, strong. I could feel each kick...powerful. My back hurt. Not like normal. Even my hair hurt. Everything.

I called my mom. I called my mother-in-law. Today is the day. They both told me to pack, get ready, and they would too!

So, off we go. Meeting Scott in Bham.

It's for real. We are about to do this! Amazing.

Happy tears come now, just thinking about how excited I was. We made it! He made it!

And, it feels like it all happened so fast.

Prepped for surgery. and ready to go! Scott made it just in time, sporting his Coca-Cola shirt (seems only fitting now!).

Kristin was there, Kendall was there. All was complete. We can go!

And, off we went.

What a glorious day. I remember, the minute he was born, and I heard Scott telling him Happy Birthday.....he was crying, I was crying. I remember thinking, this is what I have dreamed of my whole life. A complete family. And, here we are. 4 of us. The Smiths.

Goodness, life has never been the same. I am so thankful for December 15,1999.

I cannot imagine life without Chapman. I wondered why, oh why, God took Elijah from us. I laid there on that couch, angry, and frustrated, and feeling so wronged.

But, the moment I held that sweet little Chapman, in his red Santa hat.....I knew. I knew. Elijah, he was precious, but this Chapman. My goodness.

Thank you Lord for your grace, and all-knowing self. I am so glad that you go by YOUR plans and NOT mine!!!

Happy 10th Birthday Chappy!!!

2 a.m. Reflections

I am including the pictures as a reminder.....for myself.

It's after 2am, and it's like God woke me from my sleep.....something I cherish.....to remind me that I am so blessed.

I am sitting in my living room, typing to the glow of the lights on my tree....surrounded by my favorite time of year, in my favorite cozy spot.

My children and my husband are sleeping soundly. Even the dog is asleep in his favorite spot on our front porch. Life is not just good.....it is amazingly wonderful.


Yet, sometimes I forget just how blessed I am.

I have been working this week at Chap's Santa Shop.....an event that I hold dear...and look forward to all year. It is a labor of love...but it is a blessing....and tonight...on silly facebook....I took my blessings for granted.

I made a comment that was not so nice. Yes, I know. It's ok. No real harm done. But, I might have hurt someone's feelings. Or, I might have just been to hard on the situation. And, I am truly sorry.

I am so blessed, and God has provided such a wonderful home for me, and how dare I take that for granted, when, right now, as I type, people are hurting. Especially, more, at Christmas.

So, as I look at these pictures.....and my tree.....and I have noticed that this year...there are no ornaments on the bottom! Because both of my "elves" are tall this year...and they can reach higher than in years passed. Sad. But blessed.

Just the simple reminders that God is so good to me. I am sorry, Lord, that I took it for granted, and especially sorry, that I said it outloud. Please, if I hurt YOUR feelings, forgive me. And, Lord, I ask yours too.

And, if anyone, other than me--because I am sure I will need to re-read this--is still reading...Merry Christmas in advance...take a minute, to recognize those little blessings.

Amazing what some glitter Thickers can do for a girl!

Sometimes, when life gets a little crazy.....I just go up into my studio.....and sit right down in the middle of the mess (from the last time I was up there, ontop of the last time, etc) and I just make something.

Anything.

Sometimes it is a card, sometimes, a crafty gift.....but, yesterday, on such this crazy-out-of-control kind of day....I went up.....and these 2 pics were sitting there, just glaring at me.

The colors are not really meshing with me, and there really is just a lot going on here, but I just felt like that kind of went with the theme of my day/desk/life! so.....I grabbed some hambly, added a some glitter Thickers, and then those Making Memories tiny glitter alphas! I love those!!! And, yes, I love this layout. It's wildly busy, and I like it.

It is now hanging in my kitchen....and the guys thought it was GREAT! They make me laugh..Scott says "ooooh, Jasmine was a hottie" and then Mason says "mom, did you REALLY scrapbook these pictures?"

Good times. And, I felt better!