Sabatical almost over!

Ok, sort of over anyway. Although I have yet to scrap a page, I have been crafting. Back in December I made:

• 60 Christmas cards
• 14 Birthday invitations
• and 5 12x12 calendars as gifts. (sorry, I took no photos of any of these projects! What was I thinking !!!!!!!!!!)

I have also made 15 Thank you notes and am helping my daughter (who is home with pink-eye and strep!) make her valentine cards.

I am really itching to get back to scrapping. I'm about to place a massive order to Walgreens for photos ($0.10 sale -->YAHOO!!). AND, I'm going on a scrapping retreat coming up in February --> Wedensday through Sunday. I am in need of some solo-alone Mommy time!!!

I feel like I should give a little update since my last post, but where to start! So, much has happened since then. So, I'll try and give a brief update.

The holidays were hectic and very snowy. The in-laws and my dad came for a visit over Thanksgiving. It was great to spend time with family then. We usually don't travel then, because we travel over the Christmas holiday. Decorating was way fun this year, Kelly was really into it. It was fun to watch her put ornaments on the tree and hear her exclaim "This is my favorite one" for each and every ornament!

Christmas, itself was hectic. I went and got my Mom on Monday. She celebrated Christmas Eve and Day with us. Then we took her home on Christmas Day (3 hour drive) and headed to my dad's (another 3 hours) as a stop on our way to Cleveland. Friday is the day the ice storm hit the midwest. We waited until noon until we left for Cleveland, but still hit MAJOR traffic. A normally 5.5 hour drive took over 8! We should have stayed at Dad's and left the next day. Oh well, hind sight is always 20-20.

We spent Friday through Thursday with Mike's parents. My brother came down on Saturday which was great. I hadn't seen him in a couple of years. We went out to lunch and played a bunch of Pinochle! Kelly had a blast re-connecting with her Uncle. On Thursday, we headed back to my Dad's and stay until Saturday. Then headed home.

I love visiting family, but did not love being away from home for so long. I feel like I was behind and didn't really get caught up and start the new year until the 15th!

Kelly has turned 6! I can't believe she is 6 already. She had a Littlest Pet Shop themed party at the Art Center. She had a blast. She also missed 3 days of school due to snow and frigid temperatures. And another today due to pink-eye and strep. Hopefully, that is the last of that!

I'm teaching another course at the community college this semester --> UNIX Basics. I LOVE teaching and hopefully I can continue to get courses every semester to teach.

Still no word on the adoption. We have started looking at other options. We are considering fostering to adopt. There are a LOT of childern that need loving homes out there. Maybe we can help one!

Anyway, hopefully soon, I'll have new projects to post. I found this absolutely adorable piggy card that I have to make for my SIL and I'm really itching to scrap some pages!

Sabbatical...almost over

Well...It is mid-Novemeber and I haven't scrapped for over 2 months!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe it. And...I still have not resolved our adoption issue. Our agency is unwilling to do anything more which is just unacceptable to us. We are now looking for other options, maybe local adoption, maybe fostering to adopt...I don't know what path we will take. All I know is that the current path is road-blocked.

Life has been absolutely crazy. I started teaching at the local community college this semester. I cannot believe the amount of time I have put into these classes. I do love teaching. I am a little disappointed that I may not be teaching next semester. Oh well...the life of an adjunt (part-time) instructor.

And Scrappy Sabatical is about to end. I have over 60 Christmas cards to make, 5 2009 wall calendars and 2 desk calendars to make as gifts. I'm thinking my 12x12 printer will make everything much easier...I can't wait to get back to my scrappy table.

And who knows...maybe after the first of the year...I can get back to my scrappy board friends!!! I miss everyone.

Scrappy Sabbatical

I cannot believe I am saying this...but yes...I'm going on a scrappy sabbatical. I never thought I'd be in a place where I just don't want to scrap...And somehow...I'm there. I mean...I would scrap daily!!!!

It all started a couple of weeks ago. We finally got the call for a long awaited referal...finally a son for our family. It ended up we needed to decline the referal. This has just shaken me to the core. I cannot even begin to describe all the emotions and feelings I have gone through with this.

I just attended a crop and a scrappy retreat --> I didn't want to be at either and scrapping just didn't happen...everything was just soo difficult. Can you imagine not being excited about a scrapping retreat? I knew something was wrong.

So...I'm going to take some time off...said goodbye for now to my scrappy friends on the boards and I'm going to take time to heal and become the squeeky wheel at out adoption agency. Hopefully, this sabbatical will not last long!!!!!!

Ok, one more

Ok...I know my friend Cathy will be bummed because I have not posted a layout. Well here is one about motherhood. I finally finished it for the Scrapperie's Scrap Olympics!! What a fun contest! I wish I had had more time to participate. Anyway...I did this layout for the bingo challenge. Check it out -->

Most materials are MM Noteworthy -- I just love that stuff!! The little quotes came from a daily calendar that I had in '06. I save some of the ones that touched my heart in some way. I really wish I could figure out the lighting in my new home. I really hate the way this photo looks washed out! Sorry!!

Yeah! A new post!

Ok...All my photos are downloaded off the camera and well...I don't really have any more excuses not to get this blog up to date. A TON has gone on since we left for vacation. Too much for just one little old post on the blog...so I'll put update in multiple posts.

First vacation! What a blast! It was way more relaxing this time around. We did one day at Epcot, one day at Sea World and one day at Aquatica (Sea World's new water park). It was way fun! I'm not sure what our favorite part was.

Epcot was a blast...we got to ride on rides this time! Kelly was tall enough! We did Soar -- WOW!, Test Track -- FAST!, and Space Ship earth, plus some others that were more of the lame type. Kelly had to have one of those water spraying fans. (our neighbors brought theirs home from their vacation) I finally gave in (we won't talk about how much the fan cost!!!) Yet this photo and her joy are priceless!!

We spent a lot of time at our hotel's pool...Kelly was improving her swimming every day! We went to Sea World on what turnout to be the hottest day! But the shows were awesome and Kelly got to go on the big girl ride with mommy and daddy! The ride is called Atlantis and we got soaked!!!! Check out this photo...My hubby is top row left, Kelly and I are in the next row!

Then we went to Aquatica --> Sea World's water park. OMG!!! What a blast!!! I'm not a water park fan...I don't really like to get my face wet...I know...I'm weird. But their version of the lazy river was AWESOME!!!! You could put on a life vest and just float...and there were rapids and well we must have gone around at least 10 to 15 times. Kelly had a blast and always wanted to go faster. No pictures from the water park...Just no way to keep the camera safe.

My blog is read?

Ok...So it has come to my attention that I have not posted in a while. And this is very true. We've been busy with storm clean up, vacation, and the start of school. I actually thought this was not such a big deal...'cause who really reads my blog anyway. Well...I guess a bunch of you do! LOL!!! Multiple comments from many friends have asked "when" am I going to update my blog!

So...here is a post for you all. I do hope to get some more pictures up of the storm damage (the bucket truck came on Sunday to get the high stuff down), some photos of vacation and Kelly's first day of school. But...it will be a little while longer because I have also gone back to school. I accepted a position as an adjunct instructor for Muscatine Community College on Thursday. I am very busy re-learning and teaching Elementary Statistics for 9 Wilton HS students. Go figure...but I love it and hope that I will be asked back for the Spring (maybe for some other math class!)

So...be patient. I should get caught up and a little ahead this weekend. Then hopefully next week I'll get some photos up. Although...I'm thinking my scrap desk is going to collect some dust for awhile! All my free time is going to this class.

Vacation!!!

Yea...Vacation time is here!!! We leave tonight for some fun times in Orlando!! A character dinner at Epcot, day at SeaWorld, and a day at a water park. Otherwise no other plans...just do whatever, whenever. Probably a lot of R&R at the pool!!! I sure hope this revitalizes my scrap mojo...Because it sure has gone awall!!