40 Days of Prayer Day 2 and 3

I meant to post the day 2 prayer yesterday, but got so busy that I never got around to it. So I will post it today.

Kevin and I are once again waiting LOL It seems that is what Immigration is all about... waiting! We got our approval, but then that department has to send it to a different department who issues us a number. That is what we are waiting on. The attorney says that the last number took three weeks. So again... we wait. At least we are moving forward! Every day is a day closer!

Whatever was making me not feel well last week has gone. I feel back to my normal self... So I have no idea what it was.. probably just all in my head LOL  Who knows! I'm just glad I'm feeling better!! :)

40 Days of Prayer Day 2:
Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Day Two Prayer Focus
Cry out for deep brokenness, Godly fear and humble repentance to sweep God’s people. (Psalm 51:17; Proverbs 28:13; John 14:15; 2 Corinthians 7:1, 10; Ephesians 5:26-27; Hebrews 12:14)

Pray for believers to fully humble themselves, placing their primary trust in God not in political parties, economics or governments. (2 Chronicles 7:14; Psalm 33:12-22)

40 Days of Prayer Day 3:
Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Day Three Prayer Focus
Pray for an explosion of first love passion for Christ and a deep burden for lost humanity. (Matthew 5:6, 44, 22:37-39; Philippians 2:13; 1 John 4:7-11,20-21; Revelation 2:1-4, 3:15)

Pray for believers to be filled with great conviction and reverential fear of God. Pray that none would commit the blatant idolatry of placing economics or politics above God and biblical truths. (Exodus 20:3-5; Acts 5:29)




Thankful:
09/25/2012

1. I am thankful that Michael didn't try to hide or lie about missing the school bus today.
2. I am thankful that I have Kevin to talk to about things, like Michael missing the bus once a week since school started. He gives suggestions and discusses it with me. It is wonderful to have someone you can talk to about anything and everything.
3. I am thankful for the beautiful days we have had. The sun has been bright, the humidity low and the evenings have been cool.  It has been glorious.
4. I am thankful for the internet and being able to blog, share creations and meet new friends.
5. I am thankful for my family.

Michael... young little man Michael! Playing outside... being all boy! Playing outside!! Did I say .. Playing outside!! LOL Man... I would love to get him outside again!! I'm thinking it is time to get a counselor involved. I have to do something or he is going to have a really hard time in life. It is not normal for a 13 year old kid to be inside all of the time... never wanting to socialize with anything. I am at a loss ... time to bring in some help I think.. and so does Kevin.

There is a

500 Follower GIVEAWAY!!!! 

Crafting Desert Diva's is having a $100 Joanns Giftcard giveway! You should go check it out :) I have been following them for some time... very talented!! :)  I love seeing their new creations!

 

Remember ...

This is a day to remember those lost in the attacks against America. This is a day to pray for the families that lost their family members and friends. A day to remember and pray for those service men and women that lost their lives trying to save others and those that serve today to keep our country safe and free. Remember those civil servants, your police, firemen, first responders; they risk their lives every day for us. Remember the priest who lost his life trying to help those in need and to pray with them. Think of those today, those priests, those pastors that strive for us to have a healthy relationship with God and for us to remember how important Jesus Christ is to us and for us not to forget that.

September 11th, 2001 - It affected the whole of the United States.. it affected the whole of the world. Kevin and I have spoken about this fateful day. Even he was frozen to the television watching in disbelief at what had just happened; not moving the entire day. I remember where I was and what I was doing as I know many of you can remember as well. I was at home with Bailey; she had just been born July 24th and I was home on maternity leave with her. The television was on the morning news and they were talking about a plane that had crashed into one of the towers. I sat there and watched it thinking that it was just a small plane that had accidentally hit the tower. And then you watched on live television as the second plane hit the other tower. I knew right away that this was no accident; as did everyone else watching. And then the plane into the Pentagon and the plane in the field that went down with our brothers and sisters fighting for their lives and fighting to save others so that this plane wouldn't cause any additional losses. I pray today for all those affected.

My sister lived in New York at the time and she worked downtown. We couldn't reach her, none of the phone lines would work, the cell phones wouldn't go through. It was terrible not to be able to reach her after the towers went down. What a devastating loss for the world, for our nation. Such a senseless act of violence. I will never understand the hatred that people have for our nation and for the American people. I will never understand how people can twist a religious belief into such hatred. Jesus Christ paid for our sins by giving his own life. There is nothing but a true and unconditional love there. God is love, forgiveness. Not hatred...

Remember... remember those lost, those affected, those that serve. Never forget!

What the Heck Just Happened?

Today was a pretty good day. I got off to work early and got some things done today. I had to leave early to take Michael back to the orthodontist to pick up his retainers. He has to wear his retainers all the time for the next three months. Then after that, he will only have to wear them at night hopefully. Bailey and I were joking around with him for a little bit since it is hard for him to talk. It was cute though and he was being a good sport with the picking. That is unusual for him.

I took the kids to the Back To School Bash that the church was having. I don't think either of them wanted to go, but we went any way. I am trying to get them more involved in church and trying to get them to meet some new people. We went in and within 10 minutes Bailey found someone that she knew and she was off. Michael never left my side. The middle school pastor came up to talk to him and he wouldn't smile or talk or anything. He stayed on his phone for a lot of the time.. I finally made him put it up. All he was doing was pacing back and forth in front of me on his phone and it was driving me crazy. We stayed for about an hour and a half. Bailey had a really fun time and wasn't ready to leave. I told her would definitely do more of this, but I needed to get home and get some sleep for work in the morning. Michael was just glad to get out of there I think. This is my strange boy... it is 90 degrees outside and he is wearing a jacket!! So he has pockets for his phone he says. I just don't know what else to do to try to break him out of that shell of his and get him to be more open for people.

Well.. on the way home I knew I needed to call my mother. I had not spoken to her since Saturday...

 A little history on us... we were pretty close for a lot of my life. Then I got married to David and my mother never really liked him. She was very apparent about it even though she doesn't think she was. She would roll her eyes, make comments about it, etc. It was a really hard thing for me to deal with for the 13 years I was married to the man and it really put a strain on my mother and my relationship. Not only that, but she would yell at my kids or discipline them for things that I didn't feel were wrong. I don't know.. it was an odd time and it really put a strain on our relationship. We were really strained for quite a few years. We weren't doing things together like we had. We weren't visiting like we always did. Nothing was the same. Towards the end of my marriage or maybe even once it was over, I can't remember, I wrote her a letter that was several pages and just put everything that I was feeling out there. We talked about it and over time we got better. I don't think we ever got back to the way we were, but we were definitely better. She is a bit needy. She needs you to call her all the time and she would really like it if we came over more often. A couple of things about that... She doesn't call you... she expects you to call her. And my mother is a smoker and I really don't like being in her house and I don't like my kids being in her house and with smoke in our faces. Now...

I was on the way home from church and I called my mother. We were having a nice conversation... how are you feeling? Did my sister go over there for her on Sunday? She had a broken wrist from her trip to France and she had an appointment on Monday. I failed to call her on Monday to find out how everything went, even though on Saturday I asked her to call me after her appointment. That is where everything turned on me. I was broadsided and I had no idea what the heck just happened!!!??? She started saying how disappointed she was in my sister and I because neither one of called her on Monday to find out how her appointment went. She was disappointed that I didn't go over there more. I was selfish.. It didn't matter how tired she was... she would have been here for me in a heart beat. And it went on and on.. by the time I got home I was in tears ... and the kids were probably wondering what the heck just happened too!

I don't normally stand my ground with my mother or stand up for myself, but I tried. I was there for her.. not every night like she probably wanted, but when she called and needed us we were there. She wanted me to come over all the time I guess. I tried to explain that it wasn't about me being tired.. it was about me having responsibilities. I am a single mother .. Kevin is in Australia for the time being and its just me. It's me to get them up in the morning. They don't get home until 5 pm each night.. 4:50 pm they are walking in the door from the bus. I get them dinner... they work on homework and make sure that gets done... showers, packing backpacks.. and its time for bed. She says .. yes.. its all about me. I said.. No .. it isn't all about me, but it is all about my kids!

Ughhh ... she made me feel terrible. She makes me question myself. I've tried so hard to have her be a part of things. I invited her to drive up to Dahlonega with me on Saturday to see Taylor. I've asked her to go to church with me every week. Once her wrist was broken that was her excuse not to go to church, so she hasn't been going with us since. I've really tried... And now.. I have to really try not to let it affect our relationship. I have to pray hard about it.. because it makes me want to back way off. I know I can't do that. I also know that she was drinking tonight.. I could tell by her slurring words. Such a shocker to end my night. And then... I tried to call my sister, but she didn't pick up. So, after I told my mother that I had to go, she called my sister to light into her. LOL Wow.. What a night.

Thanks for listening.. I'm off to bed now. Kevin is at the movies.. enjoying The Expendables 2 I believe. I hope he is enjoying the movie.

Here is my sister, my mother and I .. years ago, 2004, at Fogo De Chao.. a really awesome restaurant. Man.. I was young LOL Here is to a better day tomorrow. I hope you all have a wonderful evening.

Schools Back In...

Yes.. school started back on Monday... Work is killing me LOL and I haven't had much scrapping time. I get home and I'm exhausted.

Both kids are in middle school this year.. they get on the bus at 8:45 am and they don't get home until about 4:50 pm. I stayed home on Monday to see that they were off to school okay and didn't miss the bus. Everything seemed to go well. When they came in the door that evening you would have thought they hadn't eaten for days!! They were both at the refrigerator before the backpack was even off their backs LOL!! I'm really hoping I can keep Michael on track this year. I think Bailey will do alright. Here is hoping for a good year and passing grades!

At work they can't seem to keep anyone in the position opposite of mine. I'm beginning to get a complex!! I don't think I'm really hard to work with.. I keep to myself.. I'm a bit quiet.. not a huge social lite LOL I promise I shower and I don't stink!! I don't know what is going on!! So, it is just me and right now I'm supporting seven people!! And it is way too much LOL I'm working 12.5 hour days and when I get home I'm exhausted. Now.. It would help if I went to bed a bit earlier.. I need the kids to follow my directions and go to bed when I tell them to. Oh.. and do the chores that I ask them to do .. when I ask them to do it!!

Friday I have taken the day off to take Taylor to North Georgia State College and University!! She will be starting her freshman year of college. I pray for her every day that she will be safe and successful. I really hope she will meet some new.. good friends. I hope that she will focus on what she needs to and keep her priorities straight. We will see how it goes. I'm a little disappointed in the way she is... I think it is her age though. She is 18.. moved out this past May because she didn't want to follow the rules. Well... she really expects a lot. And when I give her something she needs or wants, I don't really get a thank you. She doesn't show much gratitude. I don't get it. I really hope it is her age and that she will look back one day and appreciate what we have done for her.

My crafting has been neglected the past couple of days.. but I have been working on items for my DT commitments.. which can't be posted yet LOL It feels good to be ahead though. I'm not ahead in one of them and I need to get to work. I have one image ready to go and I'm going to work on it in the morning! LOL I know I can I know I can I know I can!

Wow.. Look at baby Michael... Grade 1!!! I can't believe it! LOL Poor boy.. he hated school then too.

And here they are Monday... Bailey.. 6th grader.. Could she be more tomboy? LOL  Ughhhhh...

And that little Michael up there!!!  Well.. this is Michael now.. My 8th grader! And hating me taking pictures LOL!

And he gets his braces off soon! I thought it was this week LOL but I can't remember what day! I really need to call tomorrow!

Why Am I The Way I Am

A couple of things happened today that make me take a look at myself. First, I had a neighbor that lived downstairs.. two levels. They moved out a couple of weekends ago and she had two garages that she rented. She managed to get one of them emptied, but the other one she couldn't get done. So, she asked me if I would mind putting the garage in my name and she would keep it for a couple of months and then get it emptied. Now, they really don't know me all that well, but apparently enough to know that I have a hard time saying no. So, she handed over $95 and I told her I would do it. Why can I not say no? I really hate that quality in me. It really opens that people taking advantage of you situation. I can say no if I have to, but I don't do it nearly enough. I get in trouble for that a lot at work LOL Taking on too much. Anyway.. back to the story... Today I went down to the office and told her that I needed to switch that garage into my name. And the manager says to me.. you know you don't have to do that. I know I know.. but I have a hard time saying no. So I ask... When can I cancel it? She proceeds to tell me that I have to keep it until my lease runs out. That is February of next year!! I looked at her and said.. Oh yes.. Ummm.. I can't do that. I head home and I tried to call the lady. Her phone went straight to voice mail. I called her son and told him the situation and told him to have his mother call me. She hasn't called me yet.

Also this morning my oldest daughter calls me crying. She says tuition is due and she still owes a lot of money. I'm trying to be strong and hold my ground with her, but when she calls all crying and not sure what to do I feel bad. But I really need to stay strong... she did choose to move out and become an adult. She is the one that decided she didn't want to follow the rules at home. I still feel bad when she is all weepy... So, I told her to go to my bank and see what they could do. It is a credit union... but they don't do student loans. So, I called Sallie Mae and had the three of us on the phone. She gave all of her information, but failed to get approved. So, I gave in and put my name on it. I'm not sure if it is approved yet. She had to get a copy of her drivers license and social security card over to them. On the one hand, I want to help her! She is my daughter and she needs help. On the other hand, she chose to move out and be an adult so she needs to figure things out like an adult would... right?

Well.. I really need to talk to Kevin about all of this. I just hate to add any extra stress on him. I know he is stressed about all of this immigration stuff and some papers that we need and can't seem to get what they want. It's all frustrating stuff, but we will figure it out. I'm a glass half full kind of girl LOL Most of the time.. I try to look at the good.. Kevin is more of a glass half empty kind of a guy... And I love him for it.

Enough of that.. I'm off to bed... tomorrow morning we do the volunteer with the church. We are on the backpack station! So we will be hooking up some kids with some backpacks for school! I will be getting the kids up at around 5 am. It will be a really early start for them! Goodnight!

My sister with the kids years ago! Taylor looks like she is about 12 yrs old or so. She is 18 now. My sister has long hair here... Her hair is short now :)

Bailey's Birthday

It has been a heck of a night. I left work and headed to my sisters yesterday. Bailey was waiting for me when I pulled up. I got into my swim suit and jumped in he pool with her for a while. After a nice swim we went inside to grab something to eat and I went to talk to Kevin for a bit. I was so tired... we said our good byes and I was going to head up the stairs for a shower and climb in bed to read. Reading wouldn't have lasted very long. I would have fallen asleep pretty quickly.

Then the phones rings and it is my sister's ring tone. I pick up the phone and she says... "Guess where we are?". And I'm thinking... Ummmm... Paris? Because you aren't coming home until Tuesday LOL! Wrong! They were in Washington DC. They were suppose to be home last night! Their plane got diverted because of storms and low fuel and they turned around and landed in DC. I stayed up picking up around the house and waiting on her to call me back. At around 9 pm she called and let me know that they were suppose to take off at midnight. I believe it is about a 2 hour flight to Atlanta from there. I immediately went to bed... have to get a little bit of sleep for work today!

I kept waking up expecting a text from my sister, but nothing until 4:30 am. I had just crawled out of bed and was putting my BiPap (thats another story) away. The text said that they had grabbed a cab and were headed to her place. So I went downstairs and woke Bailey and Michael.. told them to load the van with the rest of our stuff and to get their shoes on. After about 15 minutes or so they showed up and we were all packed.

This morning has been a busy morning.. I feel absolutely worn out LOL We got my mother all loaded up in the van and I took her home. Then the kids and I headed home... I had them unload the van while I got ready for work. After that I headed in and here I am! I have to train someone new today.. so I will be headed to a different building in a little while.

Today my youngest, Bailey, turns 11 years old! I can't believe it!  I have gotten her nothing LOL  It's what I always do though... we do a small celebration on the day and then we have a bigger fun day on the weekend. It helps because I won't be working and my sister and mom can enjoy the day with her as well. I have no idea what to get her.. Kevin and I have tried to talk about it, but really haven't had any time over the last couple of days. Hopefully we will have some time to talk tonight. I'm thinking to give her a $50 gift/VISA card... she is at that age where she is super picky about everything. That way she can spend it on whatever she wants. So that is that! I'm ready to go home and crawl in bed LOL

Here is a layout for today:

Taylor turning 12 .. now she is 18!! Wow!! Club Scrap papers, Doodling with my Zig Millenium and flowers from Prima. I hope you all enjoy the rest of your day/evening!

Away from Home

Today I packed up the dog and the kids, picked up my mother and headed to Atlanta to my sister's house. It is only about 30 minutes down the road LOL... so it isn't that we have gone really far, BUT! We are out of the apartment! No worrying about the neighbors being loud upstairs and waiting for them to crash through the ceiling at any moment! I'm really waiting for it.. I just hope they aren't over my desk and my supplies when they come crashing through! Oh!! And no worries about the rude people downstairs with their mean stares and their complaining and banging on the ceiling.. and this banging on the ceiling is always when I'm at my desk.. sitting! and the kids are always sitting some where. I think the husband is bi-polar.. I'm sure of it LOL

So.. back to my original point.. We got down here and unloaded all of our stuff. Then I took my sister and mother to airport!! They are gone until next Tuesday to France! How fun for them taking a trip to France. I gave my mother my point and shoot camera and an 8G memory card. She should be able to take a lot of photos. I'm excited to see them.. I hope she remembers to take a lot of them! They are going to be there to see the end of the Tour de France as well. That will be exciting for them.. especially for my sister.

The kids and I are here at my sisters hanging out. We have the pool to jump into every night. It is going to be good to be away. The only problem is that I'm here with very limited supplies. I don't like being away from my supplies! I will probably go home on Friday and spend some time working on a card or two. Other than that we will just spend time in this beautiful house. Ooooo!! yes!! I need to take lots of pictures of this beautiful house and scrap them! What a good idea!

 This is a layout of Bailey.. and how lovely she looks with her huge YooHoo mess LOL The papers are from Club Scrap.. so are the beads and the words. The words were put on chipboard. I added the blue ribbon.. some stamping. This is one of my old layouts. I hope you all enjoy the rest of your day!

All Confused Today...

I'm all confused today! It must be the heat! I could have sworn it was Saturday today. Where did the weekend go? I missed church this morning (shaking my head in shame). I have no idea what happened. Maybe it was being out in the sun all day yesterday.. Ummm.. that should have clued me in.. I was in the sun ALL day yesterday at my sisters. What other day would that have been? LOL Oh well.. really threw my day off today.

We had a really good day at my sisters. We stayed in the pool most of the day.. She grilled steak and chicken which was fantastic. I was exhausted when I got home though. I hopped in the shower and hit the bed and I don't remember anything else. She was handing out gifts yesterday too! She gave my son an IPod nano, Bailey got an IPod Touch, and she gave me an HP Tablet. Wow! Generous gifts!


Today is suppose to be another really hot day. I'll be sticking to home for the most part. I told the kids I would take them to the used CD store across the street and let them pick something out. So, we will do that and then come right back home. I'm going to try to work on some challenges today!

I hope you all have a great rest of your weekend!!

This is my ragdoll, Highlight. She plays fetch with my hairbands. Too cute! You fling it across the room, she chases it, picks it up and brings it back.

Last Page

This morning I have finished the last page that is going in the album for Kevin and I. Now I just need to talk to the attorney and find out what other paperwork needs to be sent over to Kevin, make sure I have everything and then get it in the mail to him. Mail takes at least two weeks to get to Australia and that doesn't matter how you send it. I don't think we've ever had anything going either way get to its destination before two weeks.

The attorney contacted us a couple of days ago to get additional addresses for Kevin back all the way to when he was 16 years old. That is not an easy task remembering every where you have lived back since you were 16 years old! Kevin got it all together though and I sent it over to the attorney. Now that the attorney has gotten back in touch with us it has made me anxious. I know it is getting closer, yet it is still so out of reach.

This morning I'm helping Bailey finish these cookie pops at Laura Beth's place. I had her bake the cookies last night, so this morning we will melt the chocolate and finish them up. We are going to take them to my sister's today. Bailey is enjoying making them too! Pictures.. I need to get some pictures! Once we finish those up we are going to head to my sisters to hang out for the day. That way we can jump in the pool when we get hot. It should be a good day.

I hope you all have a wonderful day.. stay cool!

I used the newest sketch from Got Sketch? Cardstock is bazzill and the patterned papers are all Doodlebug. 

Cricuts...

After blogging for about a month or so I've really noticed that a lot of people swear by the Cricut. Is that pretty accurate?

What are your favorite cartridges? Do you use it a lot? Or do you own other die cut systems? There really seems to be a Cricut following, so I was just curious.

It was REALLY hot today in Georgia! Not as hot as other placed, but still a whopping 105 degrees!! We just don't get that hot in the summer here. I don't want to go outside, I know that. Tomorrow it is suppose to be just as hot. We are going to head to my sisters tomorrow and hang out at the pool all day. At least getting in the pool with make the heat bearable. We will spend the day out there and I think that my oldest may come as well! It will be good to see her!

I hope everyone is enjoying their day and keeping cool!! Or warm if its winter where you are :)

Little Bailey.. I made the bottle caps and the stencil B. Random papers. Isn't she adorable? hehehe

Apartment Living and the Last Dining Out Layout

We have lived in this apartment going on three years. It was really nice when we first moved here. I really hadn't been out on my own. I went from my mother's home to living with my husband. It was a scary transition moving out on my own and with three children in tow! We moved to a nice apartment in a nice, safe area. It was really good to get my feet on the ground and be on my own. I tolerate the noise well, because you will always have noise in an apartment.

We have lived here for the two and half years without any complaints. The rent gets paid on time or early and we take care of the place and we don't complain. We had some new neighbors move downstairs from us a while back.. maybe 6 months or maybe a bit longer? It is a young couple with a young daughter that just turned 2 years old I believe and they have a medium sized dog. He has a military sticker on his vehicle, so I'm not sure if he is military personnel or civilian working in the military? No idea there. They are not very friendly people. They don't acknowledge you, they don't say hello or even smile back at you when you smile at them. They don't speak at all. I'm not use to that.. most of the people around here acknowledge you. I'm not very social, but I do try to be kind and say hello or smile.

We hear the neighbors fighting ever now and again.. they can be quite loud with their yelling. We live upstairs from them, so we don't hear any other noise from them. They complain on us constantly. They tell the office it seems like we are moving furniture around all the time. I can assure you we aren't moving furniture around all the time. It is myself, Bailey and Michael, two cats and a 25 lb. dog. It got really bad over a few months. There was one instance that we were watching a movie and had the surround system on. Apparently the bass was too much and they could hear it. I had no idea.. I have since then turned the surround system off so we don't have that problem. They say they could hear music playing one day when I was listening to music on my computer. I can tell you I wasn't listening to my music very loudly. The husband has banged on the ceiling a few times very loudly. One of those times was when Bailey tripped over the threshold coming in the front door and fell. Another time was when Michael fell.. errr.. got pushed off the couch in the living room. One of the times was the night before last and I can't figure that one out. I was sitting at the computer/scrapbook desk working on a layout and all of a sudden BANG BANG BANG! It felt like it was right below me.. the floor vibrated under my feet. Bailey was standing at the counter in the kitchen pouring orange juice and Michael was outside taking T-Bone for wee. It just doesn't make any sense at all.

I went through a period where I really lost it.. I was angry all the time.. every day they were calling and complaining. I found myself yelling at the kids to walk softly.. yelling at the cats for jumping down to heavy.. or the dog for wrestling around with the kids. We weren't living here.. it was like a prison. I prayed and I still pray about the whole situation. It has definitely gotten better. Yesterday was the first time I've heard them bang at us in several weeks. I have been able to let go of that anger. I feel sad for them. They seem unhappy and I don't know the situation in their household. The neighbor below them says they are really loud and they say it is the dog, but she thinks it sounds like fighting.. big people. I'm not sure what it is, but what I really need to do is add them to my prayer list. I will not get angry at them again. I have found peace with that and I am certain we are not that loud.

Yesterday was an odd day. They had issues with water on their ceiling which apparently came from up here. There was a broken pipe in the wall behind my washing machine. They came in and cut a hole in the wall to find the leak. They brought in a plumber and he repaired it. It was really loud when they were cutting the hole and making the repairs. Maybe they got agitated with that noise and it just rolled over to the evening and he was just having a bad day because of it.

On to the layout LOL Glad to get that out of my system... makes me feel better to get it out.. I feel better about it all now. So, the layout is the final page of the Dining out three page series of the family going out to eat together. I needed to add some journaling to these pages and I used the last page for that. I used Sketch #214 from Creative Scrappers. Of course I had to adjust it to my itty bitty 8.5 x 11 page LOL Oh I'm so over the rectangular pages! They have great sketches over there :)

I used the same patterned papers that I have no idea who's they are, bazzill cardstock, and the same Retro Road Trip stamp set from Unity Stamp Co. I used those stamps to make the embellishments around the photo. I glittered all the embellishments with Barbara Trombley's ultra fine black glitter. Simple layout with one last photo.. I love Kevin in this photo! and my journaling for these pages.

Thank you for looking!! Almost finished! I have the airport photos and then I wanted to throw in a page or two with T-Bone.. Our first dog together :)

Have a really great Monday everyone!!

I won a prize from hopping at the Fun in the Sun hop at ...Joyful Stamper this weekend. Thank you for having such a great hop! You put in your time so that I can find new talented people to follow and get to view all sorts of great projects!!! So THANK YOU!!!

Bailey

Bailey is my youngest.. she will be 11 on the 24th of next month. She is beautiful, has a great personality when you get to know her and has the most beautiful eyes. She can be really quiet if she doesn't know you.

She struggles in school with spelling and talking too much. She doesn't do well in writing, but I think part of that is the spelling and the other part is that she doesn't seem to know how to get what is in her head down on paper. It tends to be jumbled and not make sense a lot of the time. This is something we will have to work on. She barely passed the writing portion of her big test last year.

She is really terrible at blaming everyone else for everything that happens. She is one of those people that nothing is ever her fault. I'm really trying to work on that. I am not like that at all. I always admit when I make a mistake or I've done something wrong. I am only human. I'm trying to teach her that as well.. that it is okay to make mistakes and it is better to own up to it than to try to pass blame. She is a little better, but this is something that we will have to continue to work on.

She is also one of those people that has to "one up" you. You will say that you have a cut and she will have a sprained ankle. I have no idea where that trait came from, but it has to be the one trait in Bailey that I dislike the most. And the bad thing about it is that I have no idea how to correct that behavior. I try to point it out when she does it.

Once her older sister left the house she really stepped up the plate. She has been helping out around the house without much complaining. She gets the dishes done each night when it is her night. I never have to worry about waking up to it not done when it is her day.

I always felt like I wasn't really close to Bailey. She was always really close to her father and wanted to be around him, even if he wouldn't pay attention to her. She would play in the room downstairs while he was on the computer just to be near him. Once her father and I divorced I felt like her and I got a bit closer, but I really feel like we have grown closer since Taylor left the house. She has opened up more and wants to do things together. We are going this Saturday to a class at Archiver's. We will be making a Doodlebug Mini Album. She is really excited about going. In fact, she reminds every day.. "Don't forget about Saturday!".

Bailey did really well on her CRCT testing this year. She was above standard on almost everything. She really excels at Math and Science. That is definitely a girl trait in our family. I have always excelled and enjoyed math and science the most. So has Taylor and now Bailey. Michael enjoys the writing and Social Studies; Yuck!

She finished up the fifth grade this year; last year of Elementary School. Next year she will start 6th grade, which moves her up to the middle school. Her brother and her will be attending the same school, which also means that I will not be here when they head off to school each day. I really hope I can get Kevin back here by the time they start school or soon thereafter. I need him! It is so great having him here to get the kids off to school and to be here when they get home. They don't get on the bus until a bit after 8:30 am each morning. I am already at work and have been for a couple of hours.

So, Bailey will be my little crafting buddy. I posted a couple of pages she did a couple of posts back. She is pretty talented! She is really a great kid and it has been really nice getting closer to her.

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I did the last Dahlonega page last night. I had to use these last three photos so we can look back later and laugh. I love Kevin's sense of humor and that we can pick on each other. He really makes me laugh.

 The old lady is creepy LOL  And she looked so real!! I used gold glimmer mist to keep with the gold theme of Dahlonega. Kevin likes to pick on us about living in Georgia and that we eat Roadkill. It couldn't have been more funny when we walked in a shop in Dahlonega and saw the Sun-Dried Georgia Possum and Roadkill Cafe sign. I used all club scrap papers, my favorite black ink pad by Palette, The Crafters Workshop Chicken Wire Template for my misting, and the journaling hand written with my favorite Millenium pen.

I wanted to get my first try at coloring with Copic on a card so I threw this together. I used all scraps for the card. The "thanks" was taken from part of a Stampin' Up stamp. I used the black and white twine from The Twinery and the black rhinestone gems. Entered in Challenge Filler'er Up @ 365 Cards

Thanks for looking and I hope you all have wonderful Thursday!! Woohoo!! I love Thursdays because I get to work on home on Fridays!!