meg

Please excuse the mess while I ready my blog for the upcoming school year.

Posted by . at 8:56 AM 0 Blessings Links to this post  

1. Name your two favorite scrapbooking topics:
My Family and Faith

2. Where are the two best places you've been to?
Talladega (Nascar Race) and the Smokies(which we are very lucky to live within a hour/hour and half from)

3. Name two things you do every day: Read and Scrapbook


4. Tell us two things that pretty much everyone knows about you: I am a avid reader and scrapper


5. Tell us two things that everyone DOESN'T know about you: I am the queen of procrastination (working on this) and reality TV is my guilty pleasure.

6. Tell us two things that got you into the hobby of scrapping: I love creative stuff embroidery, needlework, sewing, etc. and I started paper scrapping as another form of creative outlet. I discovered digiscrapping through making sig tags and though I still "tag" from time to time I digiscrap more often now.

7. Tell us two things that you want to accomplish in the next six months: I want to finish up our current curriculum and get my digiscrap LO's printed(I'm horrible about just leaving them on the computer :) ).


8. Name your two favorite scrapping tools: Lightroom to enhance photos and PSPX2 to scrap with.


9. Name your two favorite sources of scrapping inspiration: My photos in that they determine what type of LO I do and various scrapbook galleries when I just can't get inspired.

10. How has your scrapping changed since you started? 1)I've got to agree with Nikki on this I am trying to make simpler LO's when I first started digiscrapping I had this awful habit of trying to use everything in the kit...LOL...those LO's will probably never be posted online. 2)Since I have discovered digiscrapping I rarely ever paper scrap.

11. What scrapbooking project have you yet to try but would love to? Hmmm...I've seen a few altered journals, wooden letters, and such that I would like to try to make someday. Does that count?

Thank you, Nikki, for the tag which allowed me to update my once again neglected blog. I believe this is the goal that I am having the most trouble keeping up with. However, there are only so many hours in a day so I guess something has to go on the back burner.

In other areas of life my hubby and I are leaving for Florida on Thursday. He surprised me with tickets to the Nascar race in Daytona for our anniversary. WOOHOO!! I can hardly wait!! I mentioned a few months ago that it would be a awesome gift but since the race was sold out I didn't think he'd actually get them. One of his employees had something come up and couldn't go so he ended buying his tickets. We will be gone for five days and I don't have a laptop so that is five days with no net or scrapping. On one hand I think I might have minor withdrawal symptoms but then again my dh and I haven't been on a vacation alone in several years so maybe I won't miss it to much.

I had another bit of excitement last week when my biological aunt was finally found after 40 years of separation from her siblings. My dad was adopted at age 5 and he and his twin sister went to the the same home. Two other siblings bounced around from foster home to foster home and the youngest two boys were adopted. In the mid-eighties five of the siblings were reunited. They had grown up within hours of each other though they never met until this point. My biological grandmother was also found but they never made contact with my bio grandfather before his death in '95. They searched for Cindy(my aunt) for many years but had absolutely no luck even with the invention of the internet. My biological grandmother passed away two weeks ago and my aunt decided to have their story posted in the local paper. Within a few days someone that attended school contacted my Aunt Kim with two phone numbers and they were able to contact Cindy who now resides in Michigan. One of my aunts and one Uncle live in Ohio, one Uncle in Michigan, and my dad and his twin sister live in Ga. so a immediate reunion isn't possible. Everyone has been in contact by phone, IM, and email and they are planning a reunion sometime next month. Much to my disappointment my Aunt Cindy doesn't have any digital pics to send but I should be receiving some "regular pics" in the mail in the next few days. I am so excited to put a face to this aunt who I have heard about all these years and even more excited to meet her IRL. I do have some scanned pictures of them as children so I am hoping for some really good reunion pictures to make some scrap pages with. I am thanking the Lord that he answered our prayers and is reuniting our family!!!
Well I've got to get my behind in the bed. I've had a sinus cold for the last two weeks and finally broke down and went to the doctor today. He prescribed some cold medicine that has me wound up tight as a clock and it looks like I am going to have to force myself to go to sleep. Have a blessed day everyone!!!

Posted by . at 11:01 PM 2 Blessings Links to this post  

Topics: Digiscrap, Reunion, Tag

Click the image below and head on over to the shop at Faith Sisters to check out
all the beautiful freebies they are so generously giving away. Sorry the image
is to big to fit here. I have some bills to pay and then I'm going to resize/repost
it when I get home.

Posted by . at 9:04 AM 0 Blessings Links to this post  

...its been quite awhile since I've posted and even longer since I updated my layout. I was still wishing everyone a happy fall even though we are several weeks into the winter season. Life has been quite busy here lately even though we took a extended vacation from homeschooling during the holiday season. We will start schooling again Monday and although I have enjoyed the break I will be glad to get back on a "normal" schedule.
Tuesday evening we got our first snow of the year and winter season. It began at about 10:30 and my children insisted on going outside to play in it. Since we rarely get any snow here and when we do it doesn't last long I relented and let them enjoy it while it lasted. There was only a 1/2-1 inch of snow but my dc made mini snowmen, snow angels, jumped on the snow covered trampoline, and had a blast. Of course Mom grabbed here camera and snapped away. You can see photos of us enjoying the winter wonderland HERE. It was gone by 9 a.m. the next morning but it was sure fun while it lasted.
In November my husband bought me a new digital camera which I quickly put to use taking pictures of the kids. As time went by this hobby has become my new passion. I've been reading everything I can get my hands on that pertains to photography and carrying the camera with me at all times since I always seem to be taking pictures of something. This has been a great learning camera but I hope to purchase a digital SLR camera sometime within the next year. I'm still researching which SLR cameras are best for beginners so if there are any photographers out there that can give me any suggestions I would greatly appreciate it. Since I've been taking so many photos I have been doing quite a bit of scrapbooking. While I enjoy paper scrapping I have found digiscrapping to be a lot easier, neater, and cheaper. I've purchased many lovely kits and have a gallery of some of my layouts at Digichick. As time allows I hope to upload more of my layouts and add a link to my gallery and some of my favorite digiscrap artists in the sidebar.

I'm a little late posting my goals for 2008 but it is better to be late than never post at all.

Spiritual Goals

Read through the Bible-I will be using the Narrated Bible in Chronological Order. I started this late last year and wasn't able to finish.
Pray at the appointed times of prayer-I bought the Artscroll Women's Siddur about a year ago and I have used it periodically. However, I really want to commit to praying at the three appointed times a day. There is something very powerful about praying this liturgy each day and knowing there are so many people around the world doing the same.
Continue studying the weekly parshahs using Torah Club Volume Five-I am so grateful for the FFOZ ministry. I have learned so much through their materials and cannot rave about them enough.
Complete two Torah Resource Course Studies- I have been meaning to do this for some time but just have not gotten around to it. They offer distant learning courses that I would love to do in the future but for the time being I would like to try a few course studies on my own.

Marriage and Family Goals

Spend more quality time with my hubby-In order for me to be able to stay at home my husband often has to work a lot of hours. Add to that a a houseful of children and it adds up to nearly no quality time for my dh and I. I'd love to have one night a month where we can go out or stay home without the children. However, it isn't always possible for us to find someone to stay with the children so I commit to finding ways to make quality time for us.
Have a weekly game night- This year our dc decided they wanted only board games for Hanukkah so we obliged them. We have had so much fun trying out their new games and I've found its a wonderful way to spend some quality family time.
Go bowling several times a month-We took all of the children bowling several weeks ago and we had so much fun. Its a hobby we all enjoy and I'd love to have this family outing as often as possible.

Personal Goals

Revamp my home management binder and use it daily-I do really well with a schedule that is until I miss using it for a few days and it throws everything off track. This year I intend to use my binder everyday and keep it coming from a pretty thing I made that collects dust on the shelf.
Get in bed earlier-I am a night owl by nature and this irks my hubby to no end. I know I that I will be a happier and more productive person if I get in bed earlier but I have to follow through and make myself do it. I tend to lose track of time when I grab a "little" time to scrap, read, or blog in evenings when everyone is in bed. I could do this in the morning before the children wake up or perhaps set a timer in the evening to get myself back on track.
Excercise-I am still carrying around "baby weight" from four years ago that I really need to lose. While it probably will not be feasible for me to join a gym I plan to purchase a few workout DVD's and walk around our yard or through the woods several times a week.
Blog more-I tend to neglect this blog and I really would like to be more disciplined about posting. I plan to write something about our homeschooling each day and a post about our weekend on Sunday. I also saw a "challenge" around the blogosphere this past year that included sharing a photo a day which I'd love to do.
Read more-I already read a lot but oftentimes I stick to fiction. This year I would like to read a wider variety of material.
Scrap more-I have a lot of photos that need to be scrapped and I add to that list nearly daily. I am setting a goal to complete at least 100 layouts this year.

Whew...that is a long list but I truly hope I can accomplish everything. To keep me accountable I think I will commit to posting each week about my progress on this years goal. Now I really have to get caught up on lesson planning so I am ready for Monday. Thank you for stopping by my blog and have a blessed day!!

Posted by . at 6:49 PM 0 Blessings Links to this post  

The assignment this week is to visit your classmates blogs and leave them a comment to let them know that you are praying for them. There are over 200 classmates that have signed up now!

At the same time for your blog, please post any prayer needs that you have. The POWER of prayer is what binds us together with HIM!

"For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." Matthew 18:20

Posted by . at 6:45 AM 0 Blessings Links to this post  

Doug Phillips and Vision Forum are sponsoring a giveaway at inashoe.com to help get word out about the FREE SHIPPING Vision Forum is offering until Midnight tonight

Help spread the word on your website or blog then leave a comment at LIFE IN A SHOE.

Hurry on over and check it out. Thanks for stopping by my blog and have a blessed day!

Posted by . at 3:03 PM 0 Blessings Links to this post  

Topics: Giveaway

Part A: Share at least 3 “Bountiful Blessings” that the Lord has abundantly provided.

• The Lord- The greatest blessing that I have ever been given is salvation through Yeshua(Jesus). He has guided our family through some very rough times and brought us through with lessons learned. He has always provided our needs when we didn't know how we would make do. I shudder to think of where I would be today without the Lord in my life.
• My family- I am so thankful that the Lord sent my husband, Jason, into my life. He is my best friend and a wonderful father to our children. In areas where I am weak he is strong and I truly feel that we complete each other. I am also thankful for the six blessings the Lord has bestowed upon us. It is such a blessing to watch our children as they play,work, learn, and grow in their walk with the Lord. I am so proud of them all!! I have also been blessed with a wonderful mother who embodies the Proverbs 31 ideal, a hardworking caring father, and three of the greatest siblings in the world. My list wouldn't be complete without saying I am also thankful for my cousin who is like a sister to me. Earlier this year she moved in next door to us. Being a keeper at home I didn't often have much adult interaction other than with my husband or online friends. Its so wonderful having her next door to talk to and so that our children ,who are all close in age, to play together.
• Our Home- Last year we were living in a very small home with almost no yard and we were quickly outgrowing it. We found our current home and simply fell in love with it. It is so peaceful here as we are surrounded by forests on all sides and the kids have four acres to run and play on. There are two houses on the property and we were blessed to have my cousin and her family move in next door. The house is also much roomier and makes life so much easier.
• Modern Technology- I truly am thankful for the internet and other such modern luxuries. I have met some lovely online friends over the years as well as being able to keep in touch with friends and family who live far away. We do have a Hebraic Assembly in the next town over but because of family circumstances we aren't able to attend as frequently as we'd like. Through forums such as FFOZ, Torah Resource, and Biblical Holidays we are still able to fellowship with like-minded believers. I've also been blessed by the DSL that recently became available in our area. I can finally listen to audio teaching/sermons that I've had bookmarked, download some new digiscrap kits, and upload a bunch of family pics.

Part B: Share your Thanksgiving Feast {past or present} You may use Photos, menus, recipes, activities, traditions…Be creative! –”Who carves the turkey?”, “Do you save the wishbone?”, “What do you serve for dessert?”, “Who hosts the Thanksgiving dinner in your family” ….my favorite…”What do you do with all those leftovers?”

Posted by . at 9:03 AM 0 Blessings Links to this post