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Saturday, November 1, 2014

..:: neighborhood story time ::..

I am totally digging the triangle trend!  I'm up on the Paper Issues Blog today with this layout that is just full of 'em.

I used a bunch of papers from Elle's Studio's Sycamore Lane collection.  The papers in this collection
are awesome!  I added some stitching, a few items from my stash and a few items from recent Swag Bags to finish it off.  I also have a spelling error that I need to fix!


These photos were taken just last weekend when B. decided to read several books to the neighbor boys. They didn't seem to mind that she really cannot read.  ;-)

Check out Sycamore Lane on the Paper Issues store.  Don't forget to grab what you need and use the code orangegearle at checkout to receive 20% off your entire order!


See you soon!

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

..::..:.:: Week In The Life ::.:..::..

monday :: photos and words

>>> photo heavy post <<<


My alarm goes off at six AM. I almost always hit snooze. At least once.  Yep, I still use my old school alarm clock from the 80s.  It makes an absolutely annoying sound. I'm certain this is one of those things on 'the list' that My Soul Mate puts up with because he loves me, but cannot stand.  I do know that it's 2014, and most people use their phone as an alarm clock. I just don't think I can do that. Ever. Or at least until this clock dies. When I hit snooze, it makes the horribly annoying sound again in nine minutes. So, 6:09, 6:18, 6:27, etc.  I'm pretty sure it's the only way I learned multiples of nine when I was in Jr. High (yes, I've had it that long).  I really don't like to wake up on a schedule. I long for weekends of sleeping in.  This is especially true on Mondays. See the little dot on the right? That means my alarm was still "on" when I took this photo. I had two minutes until it would go off again. Every minute counts at 6:07.


B. sleeps with me. Every. Night.  Yes, that's a batman pillow. I don't mind the snuggles, but I would rather be snuggling with My One True Love.  I have a lifetime with him, and she will only snuggle me for a few more years.  Lifetime for the win.

This morning, I figured out why the little holes in my blanket, keep getting bigger and bigger.



Breakfast = Pink Cereal + milk + iPad. (Of course pink cereal is strawberry frosted wheat).



An experiment in shoe tying.



These days it's just about sunrise when B. and C. leave for work and school. She is getting so much more independent these days. I am working on embracing this.



As they leave, it's time for me to finish up my hair and make-up, make myself lunch and breakfast (almost never enough time), and get myself off to work.  This morning I lingered at the door a bit longer as B and C left, the sky was so beautiful.  I tried to capture it in a photograph, but it wasn't in the cards for me this morning. I have lots of beautiful sunrise and sunset photos. I love them.


My on-the-go breakfast is a Vegan Chocolate Shakeology Shake. I take it with me when I leave -- and then I sometimes leave the empty at work.  Especially on Mondays. Grrr...


Because I have such a fantastic partner, he took photos of the morning routine for me.  And he took a minute or two to appreciate the sunrise. I love him so.



Her school. Brand spanking new. First year it opened, and it was barely done on time.  It's beautiful.


It's Monday. Monday = paying daycare.


My One True Love gets to walk B. in to school each morning. I love that she holds his hand. I love that he does this. He is such a wonderful father. She loves him so.


The fun has arrived! (She makes an entrance).


Meanwhile, I'm at work, and finally it's coffee time. Today I drank nearly a pot by myself. I'm the coffee maker at work.  I have a coffee pot in my office, and I share.  It's nice to have my office be a gathering place for some of my colleagues. 


When B. gets home from school, she almost immediately needs food.  We've started just giving her supper at that point, and then when we eat together, she will often eat again! During her first round of eating tonight, I was able to play with a little paper, while sitting at the table with her.


Her favorite was the pie.  It's always whatever has sugar.


Mommy, will you color with me? Yes ma'm!  Tonight as we were coloring she realized that the coloring book is also a story. So we did a little coloring and a lot of reading. It is so much fun to watch her grow and learn. No matter how many times I question myself, our decision, to send her to Alternative Kindergarten instead of Kindergarten this year, all the doubt melts away as I see her learn and grow.  That's really what it's all about.


B. was extra tired tonight.  It was beautiful outside and she wanted to be inside. She wanted to do more quiet activities than her usual dancing, climbing, jumping and running. She also had more than one accident today, and says she isn't feeling well. So we just kept it lo-key, played a game or two on my phone, and then we listened to some music.


FInally, we headed upstairs for a snack and her most recent movie obsession: Daddy Daycare.  It's a horrible movie, but I can also see why she loves the silliness.  She lays in the most awkward positions while she is watching TV. This is one way I know she is still just a baby, even though her legs keep getting longer. 

Daddy's turn for a book and bedtime tonight (this is what we call a 'green' night). While they were going through the nighttime routine, I was editing photos and working on some things for work. When he was free, we spent some time just snuggling and talking.  Something we sometimes forget to do.

There were so many photos and stories I missed today!  But it's OK. I was able to get a few more in than yesterday, and that's success in my book.

Thank you for reading!





Monday, October 27, 2014

:: halloween cards ::

Cards?  Did I say cards??  Yep. Outta my comfort zone for today!


There's a new issue up at Paper Issues this week -- "Witchin' You a Happy Halloween", sponsored by SRM stickers.  One of the things that I love about Paper Issues link parties is that they really are open.  You can get the details for this link up here.  You will see that it doesn't even have to be about witches or Halloween -- so many options!

I'm not a theme-y kinda gearle when it comes to scrapbooking, and I am certainly not a card maker.  But when I saw this awesome collection by Simple Stories called Frankie and Friends, I had to have it all (well, most of it anyway).  I may not be a theme-y gearle, but I do have Paper Issues, yo!

I started by cutting one 12x12 piece of kraft card stock into 4x6 inch strips.  I used these for my base.  Then I grabbed my Halloween Swag Bag (from Paper Issues) and the Frankie and Friends collection and got to work.





The 3x4 cards that come on a 12x12 sheet in the collection are so cute and simply perfect for what I was going for.

I think this one is my favorite:



If you want to grab the Frankie and Friends collection, or anything else, don't forget to use the code 'orangegearle' to get 20% off your entire purchase!

I'm working on Week in the Life this week (my first attempt)!  More on that one coming soon!