Operation Christmas Child

This Sunday we brought our Operation Christmas Child boxes to church, which reminded me to remind you that if you want to participate in charitable giving this holiday season, this is a great source to give through.  The concept of this project, for those of you unfamiliar with it, is that you fill a standard sized shoe box with a bunch of great stuff that you think a child needs/wants.  You pick whether you fill your box for a male/female child and what age group.  Better hurry though, box pick-ups are this week.  Here's why I like it... 1.) You can spend as little or as much as you want.  This doesn't require a specific dollar ammount; 2.) This is the only charity I can think of where literally 100% of your donations go directly to a child who needs them; and 3.) You can actually track your donation and see what country your box is dropped off at.  My kids love doing this, believe it or not, and for 1 day of this consumer-driven holiday season they are actually focused on someone besides themselves, which is refreshing as well.  Interested?  Find everything from boxes, to labels, to packing lists at http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/occ. 

Excuses

If you follow this blog, you may have noticed that I haven't blogged all week.  My only defense for this is that I was in a mad rush to get ready for the Osborne craft fair which was today.  Take a look at all our goodies...

However, we didn't even come close to being sold out.  So if you're in the market for some cards, go on in to Shabby Shed on Main Street in Osborne and check out the selection there.  Shabby Shed can also be found online at http://www.shabbyshedfurniture.com/.  And since I missed Thankful Thursday this week,  let me just say that this week I am immensely greatful for a supportive family.  Thanks to those late night emergency room babysitters, those last-minute on-call bus drivers, and those infinately patient souls who saved me from taking three kids to McDonalds by myself!

Color Room L.O. Challenge #83

When photographed, the letters here don't really pop, but in the acutal layout they have some dimension & texture that makes them stand out a little more.  I feel certain that was info that you couldn't possibly have lived the rest of your life not knowing. Ha.  Happy Monday.

Thankful Thursdays

In honor of this month of thanksgiving, I introduce to you... Thankful Thursdays.  It is my goal in November, to be more thankful, so today I am thankful that I got to spend an entire day at home!  I desperately needed a day where I actually crossed things off my to-do list instead of adding to it.  And, I am thankful that it is almost bedtime.  With that, I will leave you with a pic of one of my to-do's for the day: get Alex's fall party snacks ready for school...

(In case you are wondering, these cupcakes are supposed to be pumpkins.)

Color Room Challenge #82 L.O.

This is not my usual.  Those of you who know me can attest to the fact that I am not a "pink" kind of gal. :)  But I had lots of fun composing this one...

As Promised...

Yes, I know I am a day or two late here, but I did promise these pics & I just got my photo card back, so here are the Halloween pumpkin pics I promised last week...
(Oh, and Miles and Jeni, don't be haters.  I think we all know who had the coolest pumpkin.  The sooner you admit it and move on, the easier it will be on everyone.)

From left to right: Miles - "Boo"; Jess - "Eloquent Fall Foilage"; Jeni - "Two Ghosts"; Josh - "Angry Bird";

BJ & Alex - "Grim Reaper"

It's "The Great Pumpkin" Charlie Brown!

Little Red Riding Hood

Alright, I couldn't resist putting these pics of last night up on this blog.  Hope you enjoy as many laughs as I have over these!

Happy Halloween (tomorrow)

Yes, I am wishing you a Happy Halloween a day early because, lets face it, I will probably be running around like a crazy person after three sugared-up kids tomorrow.  In honor of Halloween, I have a couple fun new posts for you... the first is a layout that I actually did awhile back, but believe it or not, it's one of the few Halloween layouts I've actually completed!  Hopefully it inspires you.  The second pic I am posting is a classic!  I really did not intend for this blog to be about my kids, but this one was just too funny to pass up!  Someday, Ben, I hope you will forgive me.  If not, remember, mommy & daddy may not be able to pay for college but we're insured, so therapy sessions are only $20! 

Color Room L.O. Challenge #81

This is my take on layout #81 from http://www.thecolorroom.ning.com/ .  Here's hoping I don't have another occasion to take more pics like this...!

Fab new recipe

Last night's supper was either amazing or "So disgusting!  Please let me spit it out before I puke!" depending on which one of my family members you ask.  But since I am of the mind that is amazing and amazingly simple I am posting it as recipe of the week!  (Disclaimer: There may not always be a "recipe of the week," so please don't hold me to any standards here!)  Here it is:
* Place 2-3 uncooked, boneless, skinless chicken breasts in crock pot.
* Mix together in a sauce pan over medium heat: 1/4 c. butter, 1 pkg. Good Season's Italian Dressing Mix, 
                         1 can golden mushroom soup, 1/2 c. white cooking wine, 1/2 of an 8oz. cream cheese with 
                         chives spread
* Pour mixture over chicken and cook in crock pot on high for 3 hrs. or low for 4-5 hrs.
* My recipe says serve over angel hair pasta, but I love it over rice.

Easier said than done

My understanding of blogs is that updates are posted frequently.  How do you think that's going for me?  Admittedly, this seems to be a concept that is easier said than done.  Today it was my intent to post pics of of our fabulous pumpkin creations from this weekend, but as it turns out I don't have my camera card with me.  So consider this a teaser... pics to come soon! 

5:00 Somewhere

This is how my day went: Wake up 15 min late, rush to get to work, call school because daughter didn't finish homework last night, find out other daughter has impetigo, (sp?)(icky skin condition that apparently kids get) find out I was at the wrong job today, drive 30 min to get to the right job, pick up mail that is all bills, come home to find out my dishwasher is broken.  Frankly, at this point, time is irrelevant and a drink may not be enough.  Do I get in legal trouble if I ask online if anyone has an extra vallium they want to be rid of?

Finished Product

For the past three days I have been suffering from a creative block.  Today, however seems to have been a breakthrough.  I have finally managed to formulate an idea and a plan to proceed on a scrapbook layout that has had me stumped, to say the least.  I also am babysitting today.  Apparently crying is great motivation. :)  So here is my first attempt to post a freshly-composed page on this blog... and just in case I haven't told you before now, I HATE technology!

Sweet Sunday Morning

Usually Sunday mornings at our house are even more hectic and crazy than the weekdays.  It is the conflicting views that Sunday, being a day of rest, is meant for sleeping in and also that church should not be an optional activity.  This most generally leads to us getting up at 9 a.m. in a rush to make it to church at 10.  (It seems like an hour is plenty of time, but those of us trying to cram 5 people in & out of one bathroom in that time would argue otherwise.)  Well, all that stress magically evaporated this morning when my the man I love got up an hour early and fixed french toast for the whole family!  (And for those of you questioning that statement, yes, I am referring to my husband.)  Don't get me wrong, after we all sat down to a lovely breakfast, the stress of the morning quickly resumed, but for a few blissful moments we were able to enjoy a sweet Sunday morning.  And just a little p.s. - there is nothing that you can do to french toast to jazz it up or improve upon the original concept of bread dipped simply in milk & eggs.  No cinnamon.  No powdered sugar.  Just the basics.   

Here goes...

So, despite my technology handicap, I am going to give the world of blogging a shot in the hopes of expanding my crafting know-how & perhaps even my freind base.  But allow me to add this disclaimer -  Reader beware: Student blogger in progress.