Bald is beautiful?

Update: Here it is...Mike decided that he and Max needed to shave their heads in honor of Papa Billy. Papa Billy lost most of his hair due to Chemo, so he shaved his head this weekend. And of course, the testosterone was flowing in the Ball family with challenges and dares gallore. So here are my two dudes sporting the bald look! LOL!! I just wish I had taken the family holiday photo before the clippers came out! Anyway, Billy seems to be doing better. He is breathing better, they don't need to drain his lung, and he is finally home. Seems like the Chemo is working. He is still very weak and is on oxygen...but he sound more like his own fiesty self!

Mom came in for her evaluations at two facilities last week. We finally overcame her reluctance to moving down here. She likes Lutheran Homes and I think she is looking forward to the move. I hope to get details of her move finalized this week. It looks like sometime right after Thanksgiving she will be moving. Kelly is looking forward to seeing her Grandma more often.

Kelly has been doing awesome with her gymnastics! So well that the coaches moved her up to Level 5. She has another meet this weekend along with her first cheer competition of the season. It is going to be a busy weekend!

And me...well...I'm still trying to catch up. The house is still a mess...but the laundry is caught up. I hope to be caught up with everything by Wednesday. I can actually see a light at the end of the tunnel.

I haven't scrapped since September and I am missing it. I am still trying to get used to my new camera...Canon 50D with a 28-135 lens. I LOVE the zoom capabilities and the speed of the action shots. I'm still having difficulty getting it to focus on what I want it to focus on. And my action shoots are still too blurry. I really need to practice and learn how to use the features instead of staying in auto-mode.

I'm feeling the holiday crunch already. I have my Christmas cards somewhat designed and need to order the materials. Calendars...I started off wanting to keep up monthly all year...but alas this did not happen. I don't even have all the photos printed out! ARGH! Looks like I need to get hot!

When it rains...

...it pours. Sigh...Just when I think the worst has past, just when I think things can get back to normal...well closer to normal...sigh...another stressor gets added. Mike's Dad is doing a little better, but the outlook is bleak. My Dad is ok, but on constant watch...eventually he will require a risky surgery.

But everything is stable. I thought I could get back to scrapping and get back to blogging. I have calendars and cards and now a project for a client to work on.

Yea...not so much. Now I get to add my Mom to the list...she has been given 30 days notice to find a new home. She lives in a senior center. Her health has deteriorated, but the senior center environment has helped stabilized that. The problem is that she is not complying with the rules. She says she has been complying with the rules (that have been set up for her benefit), they say not. My Aunt is tired of this battle and it has come to me. I need to find her a new home. The problem is that she doesn't want to move and doesn't want to face the reality that she needs help.

The plus side is that I'll be moving her closer to me. No more 3 hour one way trip for visits. I guess I'll focus on the plus. I'm just not sure where I'm going to find the time to get this done. 'Tis the season to be busy and I just got busier!

Thanks to all those that have left well wishes!!! They put a smile on my face every time I read them. Thank you soo much!

Random thoughts...

Sorry...I haven't posted in awhile. It is amazing how life works sometimes. And today, nature reminded me of that. I'm sitting at my computer catching up on email and I notice movement out of the corner of my eye...So I look. Here are the leaves falling from the trees in my back yard. Lots of them. It was absolutely beautiful...so much so I almost cried. For those that know me...I don't cry easily. I don't think I have ever stopped and noticed the leaves falling before. Ya know...time goes so quickly. Fall starts, then all of a sudden the leaves are down and it's snowing.

Today I stopped...and just appreciated this simple moment. It was gorgeous. Leaves falling...ready to give nourishment back to the earth. The ending of a season and start of another.

I think this touched me deeply because of what is going on in my life right now. Mike's Dad has been diagnosed with late stage cancer. We don't know the details yet, but just the term "late stage cancer" is enough. A season ending, a life ending. Maybe the falling leaves are a reminder to notice the bigger picture and find joy with what was and what will be. Thank you nature.

So...everything happens for a reason. Although I was crushed and somewhat bitter with being one of 2 designers that lost their DT spots at ScrapGal, I am now so grateful. Grateful that I don't have those responsibilities right now. My husband has been back home since Tuesday to be with his family while all this was happening. Not having to worry about being on the board, blog posts, contests, monthly projects has been a blessing. Thanks to the higher powers that created this for me!

Last random thought...My new camera should be arriving today! I'm soo excited. I found a great deal on the net for a Canon 50D with a 25-135 mm IS lens. I will be taking some awesome photos of Kelly's gymnastics meet on Sunday. I can't wait! Soon, I'll have photos to post.

Each day is a blessing...it is up to us to find it everyday!

Frosted Designs DT call...

Hey Scrappy friends...

Check out this design team call...looks like a pretty cool place! And you can't beat the name Frosted Designs...YUM!!!!

Frosted Designs DT call

Last Sketchabilities reveal

Oh...with a sad heart...here is my last Sketchabilities reveal...for now...I LOVE working with the sketches from Karan's site. This last one was no exception!! Check out my 2-Cute-Rex! All product is MME except for the felt flower and tulle -- MM. Small letters are My Little Shoe Box.

Make sure you check out the Sketchabilities blog to see the original sketch and the rest of the team's take!!

Homeless again...

I find myself at a loss and very very sad. I love scrappy message boards and the community of scrappy friends -- sharing news, tips, and layouts/projects. I love being on design teams -- the challenge of designing and inspiring others...love it. I put my heart and soul into the position. Yet, I'm having the worst luck.

I did not get an extension at Sketchabilites and just got dropped from the team at ScrapGal after 2 months, it was a 6 month term. The ScrapGal news hurt...a lot and was unexpected. I worked my butt off for those two months. Creating blog posts were a bit more challenging than I expected. Plus I hosted 2 games, a challenge, sent out raks, etc...

I hope someday I will find the silver lining/learning in all this...today I'm just shaking my head...why? I find it hard to believe that the economy has changed all that much in the two months. And why not let everyone know on the site what is going on?

So...time to move on. I'll be posting my last Sketchabilities reveal tomorrow...I think you will like it. It will also be my last layout for a while. My camera died on me. On Sunday morning at Kelly's first gymnastics meet! I was soo mad! I took the photo of the layout the day before. Two fully charged batteries, tried both, and the thing just won't power up. It is a Canon EOS rebel. I bought it 5 years ago. Needless to say I don't need the expense of fixing it or purchasing another. Oh well, at least I don't have anymore deadlines to photograph! LOL!

Kelly did awesome at the meet. She placed:
2nd on beam
5th on vault
7th on floor
and 7th for all around. This is out of 22 6 & 7 year old level 4 gymnasts.

Until tomorrow...

Sketchabilities EAD reveal

It is time for a reveal and it isn't even the 15th or 30th of the month! That's right, Sketchabilities is having a birthday celebration and today EAD is the sponsor. I received these beautiful clear stickers that screamed card at me! So I used one of Karan's wonderfully inspirational sketches and created this birthday card for my mom! She loved it. The stickers are from EAD, pp from MME, inks and stamps on the little tag from SU!, distressing ink Ranger, and dew drops from Robin's Nest. Make sure you check out the Sketchabilities blog for all the fun inspirational stuff going on this month!