I made a little trip to M's yesterday after we took Elijah back to Gilbert's house(And BTW, he LOVED the frame I made him). I was thinking of getting this MAMBI boy themed paper pad I had seen there the last time...don't remember what it was called, but after looking at it more closely, there were just too many sheets that I did not like at all. The same went for almost all the thicker pads of paper they had there in the 40% off section. I opted for getting the Basic Grey Urban Prairie pad which I think has 36 sheets (2 of each pattern). It has some really nice ones that I just LOVE! I like this BG line more than others I have or have seen before because they patterns aren't "too pattern-y" where I don't know how to use it or where to cut it. I can see myself using these.

On Saturday, Lij and I went to Crossroads and I got a few more papers at Hobby Lobby especially that grid paper I just loved so much! I want to use it for everything! LOL I took some pics of Lij in front of that same fountain where I took pics of Mikey, but Lij was not quite as cooperative. He said the sun kept shining in his eyes even though the sun was BEHIND him and not in front of him. I only got one good pic, but I guess it's better than nothing. I wanted to try to scrap tonight now that Mikey has FINALLY fallen asleep after NO nap today, but I'm a bit tired too and don't know if I'm feelin' the mojo. I don't want to go to bed though because this is my "me, quiet time"....must relish it! That's all for now! :)

A gift

When I first saw this picture I took of Elijah's dad with his baby girl, I knew I wanted to make something special for him with it. I used an 8x10 frame, but took out the glass because I wanted it to be dimensional and I knew I couldn't use the embellishments I wanted to with the glass in. I really love the way it turned out. I used part of the lyrics to the "I Loved Her First" song by Heartland. I hope he likes it! BTW, this puts my LO count at #88 I think.

Just AMAZING!!

Tonight, while browsing blogs, I came across the link to a particular person's blog on a blog I visit regularly. I didn't expect to be touched so deeply by what I read, but I knew I just HAD to share it. Miguel and I were just having a discussion not too long ago about how and if people in this day and age still heard God speaking to them and how you know if it's God and not just your own inner voice. Or maybe God IS your inner voice...I don't know. I have so many questions and have learned and am still learning daily so many things as I strengthen my relationship with God. I'm still trying to find my way. Anyway, when I read this, I just knew...with all my heart...that I want to get "there" where this woman is...where I can "hear" God just as plain as day. I want to have faith that strong, be that sure...and I want Him to use me however he sees fit. I don't know what to pray for to get there and maybe I'll never get there. I'm not as good with the words and trying to explain what I'm feeling. Here's what I read tonight:


I also read this amazing story on Monique's blog. It is a story by the lovely Beth Moore. I have to share it with you...
April 20, 2005, at the Airport in Knoxville , waiting to board the plane, I had the Bible on my lap and was very intent upon what I was doing. I'd had a marvelous morning with the Lord. I say this because I want to tell you it is a scary thing to have the Spirit of God really working in you.
You could end up doing some things you never would have done otherwise. Life in the Spirit can be dangerous for a thousand reasons not the least of which is your ego. I tried to keep from staring, but he was such a strange sight. Humped over in a wheelchair, he was skin and bones, dressed in clothes that obviously fit when he was at least twenty pounds heavier His knees protruded from his trousers, and his shoulders looked like the coat hanger was still in his shirt. His hands looked like tangled masses of veins and bones.
The strangest part of him was his hair and nails. Stringy, gray hair hung well over his shoulders and down part of his back. His fingernails were long, clean but strangely out of place on an old man. I looked down at my Bible as fast as I could, discomfort burning my face. As I tried to imagine what his story might have been, I found myself wondering if I'd just had a Howard Hughes sighting. Then, I remembered that he was dead. So this man in the airport... an impersonator maybe? Was a camera on us somewhere? There I sat; trying to concentrate on the Word to keep from being concerned about a thin slice of humanity served up on a wheelchair only a few seats from me. All the while, my heart was growing more and more overwhelmed with a feeling for him. Let's admit it. Curiosity is a heap more comfortable than true concern, and suddenly I was awash with aching emotion for this bizarre-looking old man. I had walked with God long enough to see the handwriting on the wall. I've learned that when I begin to feel what God feels, something so contrary to my natural feelings, something dramatic is bound to happen. And it may be embarrassing. I immediately began to resist because I could feel God working on my spirit and I started arguing with God in my mind. 'Oh, no, God, please, no.' I looked up at the ceiling as if I could stare straight through it into heaven and said, 'Don't make me witness to this man. Not right here and now. Please. I'll do anything. Put me on the same plane, but don't make me get up here and witness to this man in front of this gawking audience.. Please, Lord!' There I sat in the blue vinyl chair begging His Highness, 'Please don't make me witness to this man. Not now. I'll do it on the plane.' Then I heard it...'I don't want you to witness to him. I want you to brush his hair.'
The words were so clear, my heart leap into my throat, and my thoughts spun like a top. Do I witness to the man or brush his hair? No-brainier. I looked straight back up at the ceiling and said, 'God, as I live and breathe, I want you to know I am ready to witness to this man. I'm on this Lord. I'm your girl! You've never seen a woman witness to a man faster in your life. What difference does it make if his hair is a mess if he is not redeemed? I am going to witness to this man' Again as clearly as I've ever heard an audible word, God seemed to write this statement across the wall of my mind. 'That is not what I said, Beth. I don't want you to witness to him. I want you to go brush his hair.' I looked up at God and quipped, 'I don't have a hairbrush. It's in my suitcase on the plane. How am I supposed to brush his hair without a hairbrush?' God was so insistent that I almost involuntarily began to walk toward him as these thoughts came to me from God's word: 'I will thoroughly furnish you unto all good works.' (2 Timothy 3:17)
I stumbled over to the wheelchair thinking I could use one myself. Even as I retell this story, my pulse quickens and I feel those same butterflies. I knelt down in front of the man and asked as demurely as possible, 'Sir, may I have the pleasure of brushing your hair?'
He looked back at me and said, 'What did you say?' 'May I have the pleasure of brushing your hair?'
To which he responded in volume ten, 'Little lady, if you expect me to hear you, you're going to have to talk louder than that.' At this point, I took a deep breath and blurted out , 'SIR, MAY I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF BRUSHING YOUR HAIR?' At which point every eye in the place darted right at me. I was the only thing in the room looking more peculiar than old Mr. Long Locks. Face crimson and forehead breaking out in a sweat, I watched him look up at me with absolute shock on his face, and say, 'If you really want to.' Are you kidding? Of course I didn't want to. But God didn't seem interested in my personal preference right about then. He pressed on my heart until I could utter the words, 'Yes, sir, I would be pleased. But I have one little problem. I don't have a hairbrush.' 'I have one in my bag,' he responded. I went around to the back of that wheelchair, and I got on my hands and knees and unzipped the stranger's old carry-on, hardly believing what I was doing. I stood up and started brushing the old man's hair. It was perfectly clean, but it was tangled and matted. I don't do many things well, but must admit I've had notable experience untangling knotted hair mothering two little girls. Like I'd done with either Amanda or Melissa in such a condition, I began brushing at the very bottom of the strands, remembering to take my time not to pull. A miraculous thing happened to me as I started brushing that old man's hair. Everybody else in the room disappeared. There was no one alive for those moments except that old man and me. I brushed and I brushed and I brushed until every tangle was out of that hair. I know this sounds so strange, but I've never felt that kind of love for another soul in my entire life. I believe with all my heart, I - for that few minutes - felt a portion of the very love of God. That He had overtaken my heart for a little while like someone renting a room and making Himself at home for a short while. The emotions were so strong and so pure t hat I knew they had to be God's. His hair was finally as soft and smooth as an infant's. I slipped the brush back in the bag and went around the chair to face him. I got back down on my knees, put my hands on his knee and said, 'Sir, do you know my Jesus?' He said, 'Yes, I do' Well, that figures, I thought. He explained, 'I've known Him since I married my bride. She wouldn't marry me until I got to know the Savior.' He said, 'You see, the problem is, I haven't seen my bride in months. I've had open-heart surgery, and she's been too ill to come see me. I was sitting here thinking to myself, what a mess I must be for my bride.'
Only God knows how often He allows us to be part of a divine moment when we're completely unaware of the significance. This, on the other hand, was one of those rare encounters when I knew God had intervened in details only He could have known. It was a God moment, and I'll never forget it.
Our time came to board, and we were not on the same plane. I was deeply ashamed of how I'd acted earlier and would have been so proud to have accompanied him on that aircraft. I still had a few minutes, and as I gathered my things to board, the airline hostess returned from the corridor, tears streaming down her cheeks. She said, 'That old man's sitting on the plane, sobbing. Why did you do that? What made you do that?' I said, 'Do you know Jesus? He can be the bossiest thing!' And we got to share. I learned something about God that day. He knows if you're exhausted, you're hungry, you're serving in the wrong place or it is time to move on but you feel too responsible to budge. He knows if you're hurting or feeling rejected. He knows if you're sick or drowning under a wave of temptation. Or He knows if you just need your hair brushed. He sees you as an individual. Tell Him your need!
I got on my own flight, sobs choking my throat, wondering how many opportunities just like that one had I missed along the way . . all because I didn't want people to think I was strange. God didn't send me to that old man. He sent that old man to me.. John 1:14 'The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth'

A Layout

Here's a LO I made today using some of my new buys. This puts my LO count at #87. I love that Paper Studio grid paper! I wish they had it in black or manilla colored. I used a sketch from page 116 in my Page Maps book. The pics I used are some I took of Mikey this past weekend when his face got swollen because of the allergic reaction to the sunscreen. You can kind of see in the pic how his eyes look tiny! :( I bought him these K'nex when I went to get his Benadryl. Lij has some, but for bigger kids that has lots of small pieces and Mikey likes them, but I don't like for him to play with them because of all the tiny parts and not trusting that he won't put something in his ear, mouth, nose, ect...because yes, he does stuff like that. So when I saw these and on clearance too, I just had to get them for him. And he just loved playing with them and making all the different "robots".

Lots of scrappy goodness :)

Me and Chon did some scrapbook shopping yesterday. We hit up Hobby Lobby for their paper sale first. They got in so many new papers...lots of new Paper Studio pads, paper collections from K&Co, American Crafts....they got in alot of new MME in their open stock...Out and About, new Wild Asparagus, Dreamy and 29th Street Market. Plus they have white grid papers by Paper Studio....got lots of that in both 12x12 and 8.5x11. We also went by Joanne's and were lucky enough to find the Studio G little ink pads as well as some of the stamps. I got some of the ink pads in some pretty, bright colors and only three of the stamp sets. Then we went by Scrapbook Heaven by Chon's house and I got some beautiful Kaisercraft journaling stamps, some Jenni Bowlin mini bingo cards and a few new papers...MM, MME, My Little Shoe Box, Creative Imaginations, and Scenic Route. Chon also brought me a package I had sent to her house from KTCrafts...some Paper Frills, some Scenic Route paper that was on clearance, and some more Doodlebug Loupy Lou stickers. I am ITCHING to get some scrapping done now. I have so many cool pics from recently and from when Miguel was on vacation that I want to scrap. Now I just need the MOJO! Maybe later after I get on the treadmill, Mikey will let me get some scrapping done!

A good weekend...well, sort of....

Elijah got dropped off pretty early on Friday because they had early release. We decided to have Gabby spend the weekend over here again too. The kids spent most of the afternoon playing video games and then after a yummy dinner of chicken with spaghetti sauce, mini penne and garlic toast..oh and chocolate cake for dessert :), we all sat down at the kitchen table to make some bracelets! Even Elijah wanted to make one! Which he gave me :) Love my baby!!
The next morning, the kids and I were ready before Miguel was so we took the bus to Crossroads because I wanted to get Gabby some beads of her own to take home because she really liked making bracelets. Miguel met us there and then we headed off to the Botanical Gardens. We were only there a couple of hours. Even though we were prepared with sunscreen and plenty of cold water, it was just TOO hot and too much to see. Plus Mikey was kind of freaking out over the butterflies which were everywhere because of the flowers and stuff. It was fun though...the kids..the older kids...had a good time...and Mikey did too..except for the butterflies. After we left, we ate at this cool little hamburger spot called "Armadillos" that Miguel took us to once before...GOOD food...LOVE the onion rings! Mmmmm...We took Lij to get his moppy hair cut at the Quarry after we ate. I didn't get a pic of him, but MAJOR improvement...he looked like a totally different kid. I don't know how he can stand all that hair in such HOT weather! Makes me sweat just looking at him!! I made a little stop at M's and grabbed this SO cool pad of MAMBI paper at 25% that I just LOVE!! They had a couple of MME pads that I liked too....I LOVE my MME, but I didn't want to overdo it! Crossroads HL put out all their new papers too..forgot to say that and they have so many new MME in their open stock! HAVE to hit up the paper sale this week even though I'm sure I have more paper than I will EVER use in my lifetime! We did our grocery shopping, then came home and after the kids bathed, we rented "Nim's Island" on MOD which was such a good movie...I loved it.

This morning, the kids woke up to video games way to early and Mikey....poor thing...had an allergic reaction to the sunscreen and his eyes were so swollen! It didn't even look like Mikey :( It didn't seem to bother him though and he didn't look at all uncomfortable...probably looked worse to me than he felt. I gave him some Benadryl and then another dose in the evening and it seems to be working. I'm going to have to see what is in that particular sunscreen because last time the kids swam in the pools, we used some on him and he was just fine. This was a new spray on one we got so maybe it was something in that. We took the kids back home when Miguel got off work. It always makes me kind of sad to leave Lij, but I know he'll be back next weekend. Gilbert says he is doing really good in school and Lij tells me he really likes the school and his teacher...and his new CRUSH! Geez, my baby is a lovesick puppy! LOL Here's some pics to share! :)

The creativity is flowing :)

It's kind of a good thing that I've picked up a second hobby because the need for creativity is a daily thing with me, but sometimes the scrappy mojo just isn't there. In those cases, I can just pick up my beads and make something and get my creative fix for the day :)

In the past couple of days, I've worked on a couple of LOs and tonight, I was able to make these two necklaces. The turquoise one, I had started a couple of days ago, but I just wasn't liking it much so I undid it and started over and ended up loving it this time. I really LOVE the chocolate brown one I made!! I mixed those beads up with some leopard print beads and I think it looks so cool! Love the pendant too! Miguel took my stuff to work with him today and sold two of my bracelets (the turquoise one I loved so much and I don't know which other). I don't know if he sold anything else when he went back to work after lunch. I am really loving this whole making jewelry and would love to keep doing it and try to make some money from it, but don't know how much bussiness I can get from just selling at Miguel's work. I'm thinking maybe Etsy? Ebay? Any thoughts and ideas would be greatly appreciated :)
So here are my two LOs. The one of Mikey I did using a sketch from Got Sketch. The one of the kids, was a lift from 2 Peas..someone named DianneH I believe. I love that one! I used a little bit of everything...and I got to use those big felt pieces I had gotten at the Dollar Tree but was going to throw away after I cut the flowers and dragonflies from them...so glad I didn't! Oh, Lij comes home tomorrow...YAY!! We are thinking of taking the kids to the Botanical Gardens on Saturday. They have a Treehouse exhibit going on and thought it would be something fun and not too expensive to do with the kids. Plus it's outdoors and no matter how hot it is, Mikey just can't get enough of the outdoors! So NOT like me! I prefer air condition...lol..as I'm sure Elijah does! It should be fun though. We'll probably grab a bite to eat after..oh, and I need to take Lij for a haircut because his head is becoming a big mop! I know he wants to grow it out or do his "own thing" with his hair, but his hair texture is weird and it won't lay flat so when it gets too long, it just sticks UP like a porcupine! LOL It doesn't look good at all. I wish I could find something that we could both agree on that would work with his hair type. I like the shorter haircuts that I've been getting for him, but I know he doesn't really...well, at least as of lately. Anyway, those are our plans. I hope everyone has a great weekend :)

The last two pics are of some cool new Paper Studio pads they had at Hobby Lobby when I went bead shopping last week. Love the colors...just what I had been wanting :)

More bracelets :)

I went to Michael's and Hobby Lobby on Saturday and got a few things. Some of those new Paper Studio paper pads at Hobby Lobby are really cool! Some have more sheets than others...the ones I got I think have 24 sheets and on sale came out to $4. Which I think is pretty good. Although I guess if you got single sheets when papers are 5 for $1, you'd probably be able to get more sheets. Anyway, I got two pads that had really pretty bright colored papers. There were some really nice ones with distress-y looking papers or papers with like fluer de lis and stuff like that, but I figured I really have more than enough of those kinds of papers. I don't seem to have a good selection of bright papers so that's what I got. I also got a few bags of beads for my new "hobby" :) But they didn't really have too many to choose from. At least not ones that I really liked. Michael's on the other hand, had TONS of beads...such pretty beads..so many different kinds and colors and shapes. I didn't look nearly as much as I wanted to because Mikey was kind of fussy, so I just grabbed a few strands that caught my eye (btw, M's had their beads on sale too). I was able to find some gorgeous turquoise beads. I was REALLY wanting to find some to mix with some silver beads...I thought they'd look really cool together..and they did! I want to go back when beads are on sale again and when I have more time to look and choose. Miguel says my bracelets are really pretty and that if I wanted him to, he would try to sell them for me at his job...I think that's really sweet of him :) Maybe I will...we'll see. Anyway, I made these bracelets Saturday night. My favorite bracelet is the one pictured second. I don't know if I want to sell that one...it's so pretty!! lol Anyway, it's late and I'm tired. Everyone is sleeping except for me, so good night and TFL :)

Another LO

I was inspired by a LO on "The Story Matters" called "Home Is Where He Is". My LO looks nothing like hers, but I loved the title and the colors so this is my own version. I still need to do the journaling, but that will probably be kind of personal so I took the pic before. I believe this puts me at #84. I don't know if I'll get any more scrapping done over the weekend. Tomorrow is Miguel's day off and we will do our grocery shopping and running around. We had plans to take the kids to movies, but Lij decided to stay at his dad's. I talked to his dad and told him that since he asked him that he could stay this weekend, but every weekend after this, he is coming home whether he wants to or not. It's not up for discussion. Since I don't see him all week, I think it's important that he comes home for the weekend for family time since it's so limited right now. So, we will probably still take Mikey to see the movie and I want to go to Hobby Lobby to look for some more beads. I "might" go by M's because there are some specific color beads I want and the last time I was there, I noticed that they have a much bigger selection that Hobby Lobby. Other than that, we will just relax at home.
Just a note to myself...this afternoon, my mom was asleep on one of the couches in the livingroom and Mikey went and lay on top of her and fell asleep. I was cleaning up in the kitchen and when I was done, I came in and found him there. They looked so comfy and peaceful...made me sleepy so I took a nap too! LOL As I was laying there looking at them before I dozed off, I felt very blessed and thankful for having my mom and Mikey and this house even if it's not our nice, new house that we had to leave behind. That was just a house...and even though I loved all the space, I was always there alone with the kids...no one to talk to and Miguel was always at work. This feels more like home to me than that house ever did :) Just want to remember that moment.

Alot going on.....

Today, I took Mikey with me to Crossroads Mall. I usually take Lij with me for some alone time w/Mommy, but since he's with his dad, it was Mikey's turn. Chon met us at Hobby Lobby at the last minute. I got a few things that were on sale...mostly stickers and this cute owl stamp :) I took Mikey to see that big fountain they have outside there and this time I remembered my camera. I got some cute pictures of him! Oh, so some of the jewerly making stuff was half off at Hobby Lobby and since my mom also makes jewerly as a hobby and I had been wanting to make some bracelets, I decided to get myself a couple of bags of beads. Well...I think I found a new addiction! LOL Aside from scrapbooking because I would NEVER, EVER give that up. I told Miguel to hold onto his wallet! LOL I really love the things I made. I was able to make a necklace and five bracelets with the two bags of beads I got and they only cost $2 each. I think that's a pretty good deal because sometimes these kinds of things can be pretty pricey! I'm heading to a different Hobby Lobby on Saturday before we take the kids to the movies to see that 3D movie "Fly Me to the Moon" (or something like that), so I'm going to look for some different beads to make some other stuff. Oh, and I'm also posting two more LOs I finished. I need to journal on the picnic one. I think that puts me at #83. TFL :)