i am a coconut.

i scrapped today. halleluyer.

Thought I would post my latest pages and cards. Here are 3 pages I did recently at a crop.

 

 

 

I finished this one today. I used the Graphically Speaking Cartridge for the background 6's.

 

I also made cards.

 

 

I has been one productive day. Thank God. I needed this today.

cricut storage.

I have been having a love affair with my Cricut recently. I had forgotten all the fun things you can do with all the different Cricut cartridges. I just reorganized my stash of cartridges and this is the way it will stay until I decide to get the Gypsy. I found these instructions online and decided to give it a try when Joann's was having a 50% off on all their storage bins. I find it to be very handy and much less bulky than carrying around the original packaging. It worked well when I went to a crop recently.

I bought 2 of the Ribbon Holders and a pack of plastic canvas from Walmart. The whole thing cost about $12. :)

happy fall y'all.

I am enjoying this fall weather that we've had lately. The nip in the air is quite refreshing after the scorching heat here. In reality, the fall season is hard to see in Vegas. Leaves don't turn different glorious colors here. They are either green or the trees are bare and dead. I try to bring a little bit of fall into my home by having the boys and I pick out our very own pumpkins. I've never done this in my whole Fillipino life. We brown people just don't think about it. Now that we have a child at home (a very tall child), we are starting our own traditions. I tried putting them outside in front of the door to get into the season and guess what? Someone stole one of the pumpkins! Are people that desperate that they must steal a gourd from my own front yard? Can't I just enjoy the look of pumpkin sitting by the door? Sheesh. Just knock and ask me if you can have it. I will talk about you behind your back, but I will give you a damn pumpkin. Hrmph.

crop weekend.

I spent 11 hours at a crop this Saturday and I am still recovering. First of all, 9 pm is bedtime to an old lady like me. Second, I have never just scrapped for that long. Usually, when friends and I get together at each other's homes, we spend our time eating, laughing, and talking about sex. I wasn't used to actually getting things done at a crop. In this case, I went to a scrapbook store 45 minutes away after carting off my whole house of supplies and spent time with some very nice but serious ladies. They all had a purpose and they loved scrapping. Just what I needed to jump start my creative juices. I did 3 pages and a card, played with new tools, got a look at new supplies, new Cricut cartridges, participated in a page contest, enjoyed bagels and spooky treats, a catered dinner, and beer (ok, I couldn't drink any beer since I am ALLERGIC- damn!). I never knew crops could be so fun! I might have to return next month. :)

i am a grateful coconut.

A few days ago, I was bummed and depressed. Today, on my birthday, I feel lucky and loved. I truly am not so sad and pitiful all the time. I just feel sorry for myself once in a while. I allow myself that and then make myself bounce back from it. I have a life to live. I have work. I have a family that needs me. I can't wallow in that forever. Because my life is wonderful. I am very blessed.

Today, one of my staff members gave me an orchid for my birthday. I admired the plant once long ago and she remembered. She gave me a card with a prayer for strength and guidance. I know she gave that prayer to me because of the stress of being a manager of a clinical unit, but it touched me. If only she knew how much that prayer meant to me in my personal life. She told everyone I deserved the beautiful plant not because I am a good boss, but because I am a good person. To me, that was the biggest compliment. I must be doing something right.

this happens every year.

My birthday is Wednesday and it is like New Year's Day for me. My birthday serves as a marker for things I have done and things I have failed to do. It's a day when I make lists and take notes for what I want to accomplish in the coming year. I will be 36 years old. I know that I should be grateful. And I am. To be alive. To be married to a loving man. To have a close family. To have a job that puts food on the table. To have a roof over my head. But there is always that something that I have never been able to do. Something that a woman is supposed to be able to do, to give to her husband- a child. And at the age of 36, I have not done so. Sigh. I put these gnawing feelings aside and it is only when birthdays happen, or a new year happens, or a baby shower happens that I let it get to me. Today, there was a baby shower at work and I have to keep the tears at bay when I see the baby clothes and the baby decorations and the baby cake and the well baby wishes. Why can't that be me? What I have I done to deserve this? I ask God this almost every day. Have I been a bad person? Is this my punishment?

I take responsiblity for not eating right or not exercising when I should, but sometimes, I curse this diagnosis called PCOS. I hate it. I wish I was normal. I wish I could bear children. I wish I had morning sickness. I wish I could hold my own baby in my arms. And here I am, 2 days before my birthday being reminded once again that this is something I have never had and maybe never will. Do I keep hoping and praying? Should I just get off my butt and get serious about weight loss? Let's face it.  I cannot get pregnant because I am overweight. If I got pregnant, it would still be difficult to carry a baby full term. PCOS is a complicated hormonal syndrome and this gal is a little tired of thinking about it all the time. It is a struggle EVERY SINGLE DAY.

What to do now? Think positive thoughts. Not so easy, is it? Exercise more. Eat better. Pray harder. I will start tonight. Again. One step at a time. Now off to the treadmill...

long time, no blog. again.

I am having a hard time keeping up with the blog. I have been updating Facebook so often that I forget that I have a blog. I really must try to update more. So what's new? Well, hubby and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary recently. I can't believe we've made it that long without killing each other. Ha! After all these years, I still kind of like him. And use him frequently for sex. :)

Scrapbooking-wise, I have not been very inspired, but I am making crop dates with friends in the hopes of getting myself out of the rut. Next weekend, we have planned a Cricut party. We hope to share and use each other's cartridges. Goodness knows I have so many that I might as well get some use out of them all. Speaking of so many cartridges, I am looking at the new Cricut Gypsy. I have a Mac so I cannot use the Design Studio, but I hate having to lug around the cartridges if I go to crops. This might be a cool little gadget for me. But so pricey! Any thoughts on this new toy?