Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over...

...it became a butterfly.

I SO LOVE this saying!! And it's kind of how I've felt lately.

Yesterday was my birthday. (27 and holding) And I was reminded of how TRULY BLESSED I am.

For starters, first thing in the morning I was wished a Happy Birthday (it was on the calendar at work). I got home, fell asleep, and when I woke up my husband had some of THE MOST BEAUTIFUL roses,

a sign (Always and Forever, Always kiss me goodnight). How sweet---

My friend Sandra sent along with Joe a tin of peanut butter fudge (Bella's) and some taffy.....for my sweet tooth--- Thanks Sandra!!! :)

Then, one of Nikki's friend's, Lazaro, who's also become a dear family friend, came by with these:

FOR ME!!! They are SO beautiful!!! I don't know what kind of rose they are but they are gorgeous. They almost look like paper.

Then later on his sisters came by with some homemade SCRUMTIOUS chicken tamales. OH MY GOODNESS were they EVER good. The worst part?? I only got 4!! NO KIDDING I think I could have eatten 2 dozen by myself---alright, well, maybe not in ONE sitting but............OH! They were SO yummy!!!!!

I got ready for work, left and happened to check my cell phone........There was the SWEETEST Birthday message from one of my dear and special friend. That just made my day!! Put a BIG 'OL smile on my face!!!

I got to work, went to report and there was a 'Happy Birthday Stacey' cake from Jamie!!! (Chocolate with raspberry filling and WHIPPED CREAM frosting....Mmmmmm .....coming out of report I was greeted by my sweet, sweet friend Sonia and

<<< Salvador singing

Happy Birthday to me and Salvador had these for ME!!!

As if that wasn't SWEET ENOUGH, when I asked him about the flowers he told me he picked them ALL HIMSELF out of his mom's flower garden!!!

They are BEAUTIFUL!!!

THEN, not too long later Sonia asks me to go with her........I'm wondering....what's wrong??? She leads me to the nurse's station where they had gifts for me!!! HOW SWEET is that?! Aileen got me a gift card to JC Penney, and Sonia got me some pretty rhinestone hair clips, a watch, a pink rose and from Anthony (her son) a 2 Liter bottle of Diet Pepsi (my favorite soda) with 4 packages of peanut M&M's (my favorite candy)!!!!

It was SUCH a WONDERFUL day!! Birthday's are usually 'just another day' but not THIS year!!! I felt SO special and SO LOVED!

I am truly BLESSED!!

Even a few of my patients wished me a happy birthday. Awwwwww. I felt so special!!!!!

Well, that's all for today........

It's back to work for me tonight!!!

Sweet Dreams!

-S

Real quick........

......

I've been off for 5 days and STILL WANT MORE TIME!!!!

LOL!!

Isn't that just the way of it really?!?! :)

I've just been busy.....but FUN busy--not creative fun busy but social fun busy!!!

We've had graduation, graduation parties, a day of cleaning, some good 'ol 'hangin' out' and then Nikki's 'promotion' from 8th to 9th grade (in the Fall). I work for the next FOUR nights. UGH!! -AND I hear it's been BUSY. ICK!!!!! I don't so much mind busy so long as it's not CRAZY busy.

THEN, Nikki leaves for Texas for 56 days!!! :(

I'm going to post a few pics from Nikki's Promotion last night. Isn't she just beautiful?! :)

She earned the Citizenship Award and the Academic (for maintaining a 3.5, or higher, GPA all throughout Middle School) and Presidential (for maintaining a 3.7, or higher, GPA all throughout Middle School) Awards.

Nikki in the yard before leaving for promotion.

Nikki picked out EVERYTHING. I was kind of worried that she was going 'overboard' but she looked just beautiful!!!

She's always been the one with the fashion sense--always has had it--ever since she was little. She and D'tri (my BF when we lived in California) were ALWAYS on the same page.

Here's the three of us together. I'm so glad we decided to snap a picture of the 3 of us before we left.....

Obviously I'm going to need to touch up these pics. My battery died so I was using Nikki's camera most of the night and I could NOT figure out her settings.

Anyways.........................

This is Nikki with Salvador. They used to 'go out' last year. They both still like each other but with her going away this summer neither want to make any kind of 'commitment'. He's a good boy. Both Joe and I REALLY like him.

I had a few other pics I wanted to post but blogger is giving me a hard time. It has been ALL day. Grrrrr. Oh well. It's already 4pm and I have to leave for work in just a few short hours so I guess I will go lay down for a SHORT nap. Here's to hoping for a good night!! :)

I hope you ALL enjoy your weekend!! I'll try to post again in a few days. We'll see.

Hasta luego mi amigas.

It's Sunday!!

Whew!

I'm off for a few and have TONS to do. But I'm EXCITED!!

Graduation was yesterday and we had quite a few friend's (siblings, children or siblings of friends) graduating yesterday. Those kind of events always make me teary. Anyways, we are the partying family this weekend with all these graduations!! But that is FUN!!!

I have SO much I want and NEED to get done in my house too so I'm HOPING I'll have some 'good time' on Monday and Tuesday to get stuff done around here.

Between working and just the busy time of the year that June tends to be I have been SO busy AND since my 'studio' is between rooms right now I just haven't made the time to create anything lately. IT makes me sad, ESPECIALLY because for a while I just didn't FEEL like creating......lately I've been WANTING to create but just haven't had the time! Isn't that the way of EVERYTHING though.

Wednesday morning I went with Samuel on his fieldtrip to The Molson Museum. This is my dad's FAVORITE place to go when they come. Probably because he has most of the stuff that's up there! LOL and to just see it all in one place, organized and set out like it's important, brings his heart joy. I know when I went with Sammo I kept thinking, 'my dad (or grandfather) has that' or 'I remember that from when I was a kid'. There really were some pretty cool things up there.....things I wouldn't mind having in my house!! I just LOVE old stuff!!!

Anyways, here are a few pics from our trip:

This is the old elementary school room. Look at ALL those OLD desks!!!! I LOVE them!!!

I just saw some at an antique shop a while ago for like $50. I MIGHT need one if I end up having any spare room left if in my 'studio'!!

This is the Old Post Office.

Here's Samuel making his list......

The kids had to mark down at least 5 things they thought were 'cool' or 'interesting' from each floor. The only thing about this was of course they wanted to do their little schpeel about each floor--which is fine BUT then they wanted to RUSH the kids through. Well, they're ONLY in second grade and it still takes them a few minutes to write. After the 'leaders' did their 'schpeel' they didn't have much time and for the little ANAL kids like Samuel who HAD to make sure to get ALL FIVE things. UGH!!! I told him on the first floor--don't worry about it. Just have fun and enjoy your time here. Look at the different things and how cool they are--- But, NO! Like his Momma, Samuel HAS to follow directions and do as he's told. :)

Look at THIS!!!!

LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!!!

I WANT it!!!!!! :(

And this.........

It just looks cool to me. I'd LOVE to have this too. I took the picture to send to my dad so he can keep his eye out for one in all his travels. He will often buy the remains of an old house and just poke through the stuff--keeping the cool stuff getting rid of the junk.

He's found some pretty cool stuff !!

He found some beautiful old antique rings one time in an old book. Well, it looked like a book but it was really a holding spot for these old rings and stuff.

Well, that's all for today......

I hope to be able to post something creative soon........we'll see though.

Nikki's promotion is Wednesday so I'll FOR SURE post a few pics from that. :) And then Nikki leaves on Tuesday the 17th for Texas for the Summer. I'm not so excited about that. I'm gonna miss my baby girl!!! But she's excited. HOPEFULLY she'll come back knowing some spanish!!!

Adios!!

:)

Busy, busy, busy.........

....it just NEVER seems to END!!!!
I got off work Saturday morning and went to the Chelan Water Slides with my kids. Our daughter was going to a birthday party for one of her friends (who's also a family friend) and we were asked to go along---so Samuel and I DID!! It was fun. The kids ALWAYS LOVE going to the water slides. Samuel chose the water slides over the Annual Founders Day Parade. I was surprised in a way (he LOVES the parade) and then not at the same time -he LOVES the water slides!!!
After just getting off three 12's I was a little tired. I took a one hour nap before we left, played for a bit and ended up taking another nap at the park after lunch. I was BEAT!! One of the BEST things about the park is that it's pretty safe and I feel comfortable letting the kids go off and enjoy the rides without me so long as they are together or with a friend. I didn't get too many pics but I'll share a few......
Here's Sammo going down one of the 'kiddie rides'. We chose to park our 'party' right to the side of these slides. It was actually a REALLY nice spot. Sunny yet a NICE BIG tree with cool, shade in the afternoon when it was too hot for me! Of course the girls wanted the SUN--they ALL had sunscreen on!! :)
WHAT a GOOF BALL right????
This kid just cracks me up!!
I know, I know.....even Joe said, "He looks like a 'bobble-head'." That's alright, cuz he's MY bobble-head-and he brings THE BIGGEST smile to my face and MOST incredible JOY to my heart.
And here he is AGAIN--the little clown. He and Raechel were hiding coins and finding them.......(8 year old fun)....he couldn't just find them he then had to pose with them!! LOL His expressions just kill me. To me, he's just funny.....a clown. He TRIES to make ya laugh--and he USUALLY succeeds!!! :)




And then we have 'Nickles' or 'Neen' or 'Beans' or 'Nene Beans' or 'Sweet Pea', whichever I decide to call her at that moment....
How can ONE child have SO many different nick-names???
Good question.

Anyways, that's typical Nikki---with a phone of SOME SORT connected to her ear. UGH!!!! Teenagers!!!


And LOOK at these beauties!!
This is Nikki and her BFF Vanessa (or 'Vaness' or 'Nessa' or 'Ba-Nessa'-that's what Samuel used to call her, 'Ba-Nessa', before he could make the 'Vv' sound. It just stuck. Now even JOE calls her 'Ba-Nessa' half the time!! They've been friends since we moved here, when they were in 3rd grade. Most people think they're sisters. Although Vaness is a WHOLE head taller than Nikki.
So that was my Saturday.
Sunday was just as busy. Nikki and I had to 'run' to Walmart for a few things, rush back up for a baptism and then off to the party. Let me tell you about SCRUMPTIOUS food. Mmmmmm.
Monday, Nikki and I went to Wentachee (2+ hours from us) to pick up MORE last minute things (and then some) for her promotion next week. It's hard to believe Nikki will be in the High School this Fall. Time has just FLOWN right by before my eyes!!
Have you ever heard the song, Turn Around Slowly by David Kauffman?? (click HERE and then click on Turn Around Slowly to listen to it. It's just the beginning part/clip of the song but you'll get the idea.) If you can listen to that song and not tear up or full out cry............I don't know what to say. The first time I heard it was at a Chondra Pierce event and he sang it there. I was WAY pregnant with Samuel-like READY to deliver-so some could have said it was hormones but let me tell you........there wasn't a DRY EYE in the place!!!
Anyways........when we got home last night my NEW kitchen window was in. YIPEE!! We had a garden window and I HATED it. HATED IT!!! I was TALKED into it and I REGRETTED it ever since. Well, I'm happy now. I NO LONGER have a garden window!!! It's not 100% finished yet, Joe has to put the trim back up and finish the trim outside but this is what it looks like now--
I like it WAY better!!
That little wooden thing won't be there either. It was in the garden window and just got put there this morning until it finds a new home. The counter needs to be cleaned off (and the dishes done) but you get the idea..... The river and our lower back yard is STILL flooded. Not AS BAD as it was but still flooded. Joe's NOT a happy camper but what to do baby boo? :)
Today is going to be a cleaning/catch up day.......just as soon as I get my bum off this computer. Tomorrow is Sammo's field trip to The Molson Museum--of course I told him I'd go. I haven't done ANYTHING with his class YET this year--what a BAD mom huh?! I know, I know. And then tomorrow night it's back to work for me for another three. ICK!!! But, then my last 5 off--thing is it's PACKED FULL of things to do too!!! Somewhere in there I HAVE to get a handful (at least) of Graduation cards done, a few Father's Day cards, a gazillion Birthday cards, the list goes on and on.....This time of the year is just a BUSY time huh?!
Well, enjoy the rest of YOUR week. I HOPE to be able to share SOMETHING soon and THANKS for stopping by!!

What a slacker huh???

I haven't posted in FOREVER!
I've just been busy.....with different things....good things mostly.
Spring has FINALLY sprung in these parts and I know it is MOST CERTAINLY welcomed by me!!!
Joe is still working in my 'studio' so I'm kind of inbetween rooms right now. I've managed to 'work' things so if I NEEDED to make a card I could but really, I just haven't been 'into' it. I think I'm just anxious to get everything moved over and put away. Once things are a little more organized I'll post some pics. I'm ALWAYS interested in and looking for better organizational and storage ideas so if you have ANY tips or tricks---PLEASE post a comment and SHARE!!
Anyways, for today........ a few pics...
We got a few poppy plants from a friend a few years back and I ALWAYS LOVE it when they bloom. They're just SO amazingly HUGE and BEAUTIFUL to me!! I went out two mornings ago and found our FIRST poppy (in the front). I KNEW I was going to HAVE to take some pictures!!
I think it was the next morning when I went out and I found this one emerging!
This morning when we went out......Sure enough, there are THREE!! My camera batteries are dead and I haven't taken the time to recharge them so no pic.
And LOOK!! Our strawberries are flowering and now there are even green berries!!!
I just LOVE Spring!
These beautiful flowers are from my BF, Kat. She gave them to me for Mother's Day. Aren't they beautiful?! Thank You Kat!!!! I think of you each time I walk up to our front door---well, and then some!! :)


A couple of summers ago we drove (from North Central Washington) to Connecticut (where I'm from originally) to visit my mom and dad. We brought back a BUNCH of stuff. One of my 'finds' was the old chair that these flowers are sitting on. I just washed it up a bit and put my flowers on it. I like it. I just makes me feel happy.

Hmmm, and what's this you say???
Kind of a funny story behind this one...............
I was getting ready for a funeral yesterday. I wanted to wear a skirt that I have that I haven't worn yet but didn't have the 'right' kind of shoes to wear with it. I went down into Nikki's room and found a pair that I thought MIGHT just work. Thing is she's a size 6.5-7 and I'm a 7.5-8. Well, she had a pair of size 7 black shoes that were CUTE and I thought they'd 'work'. Here I am clomping around the house in my young (SKINNY) teenagers shoes. I look outside to what USED to be part of our back yard---yep! That's part of it in the picture right above. You see, we live on the Okanogan River and with the super warm weather we had last week that melted the snow in the mountains we now have a swamp in our backyard--if nothing else, an extension of the Okanogan. UGH! So much for Joe's garden. ALL the water was just about gone until yesterday when it rose again. ANYWAYS, I happened to be looking out that way when I saw a momma duck with like 8 little baby ducks. They were SO cute just swimmin' around in my back yard--lol. My intention was to get a pic of the momma duck and her babies. Well, when i got to clomping out on the deck in those shoes I PROBABLY shouldn't have been wearing anyways it scared momma duck and her babies right away. :( So this is what I got!
:( Oh well. Better luck next time--and note to self--NO MORE CLOMPING around in shoes when TRYING to get pics of a momma duck and her babies!
Well, I go back to work tonight-for the next 3 nights so I'm SURE there won't be ANY creating for me.
I do have a baptism on Sunday so I guess SOMETIME this weekend I SHOULD try to come up with something for that!!
Until next time.......
Happy Stamping and creating!!

ALL Praise and Glory to God!!!!

I passed my RN NCLEX!!!!
ALL Praise and Glory to God-because it's only with Him and through Him that I was able to accomplish this goal.
I am SO incredibly relieved.

Minimal creating for me these last 5 days off. UGH!
I DO have a card but I haven't taken a picture of it yet so maybe tomorrow I'll get to it?! I DID make up a little scrapbook too--from a kit--as a gift BUT, again, no pics. Sorry. I found them at TJ Maxx for $5 (regularly $30-hello!? WHY DIDN"T I buy them ALL???? Good question because they are SO darned cute!!!) I guess I'm going to have to put in a call to my mom and have her run to HER TJ Maxx to see if there are any there. I just KNEW I should have bought them ALL but NO!!! I thought, 'what do I need them all for?' Stupid, stupid, stupid!!!!! I WISH we had a TJ Maxx close by---but NO! The closest one is THREE HOURS AWAY!!! GRRRRRRRR!!!!
Joe is about 1/2 done with the flooring in my new 'studio'. It is coming along quite well. I can't WAIT for it to be done. There is SO much work that needs to be done up there though. UGH. LOTS of stuff to be 'gone through'. BUT, I have a BUNCH of books to get rid of now--teeheehee!
It's back to work for me tomorrow night---geesh--5 days really DOES fly by!! So, I guess I won't be 'creating' again until MAYBE Friday or Saturday if I'm lucky.
So until next time.........
...Happy Stampin' OR Scrappin' OR BOTH!!!!! :)

It's Wednesday and.....

I'm OFF for the next FIVE NIGHTS!!!!!!
WOOHOO!!! I'm LOV'IN it!!
I look SO forward to my days off and I 'plan' to get SO much accomplished. Most times I don't get NEAR half of what I'd LIKE to get done, done but......that's the way it goes right? There just NEVER seems to be enough time in the day!
Well, this morning when I got home I decided, BEFORE I was going to lay down for a 'nap', that I was going to work on and FINISH a card set for a friend of mine. I wanted something SIMPLE because I wanted to be able to send these out for her TODAY. Joe went out fishing with a friend, I dropped the kids off at school, came home and went to work. These are what I came up with:













I made 4 of each card for a total of, YES! 12 cards! :)
All pattern paper is from a card pack/book I got from COSTCO forever ago. The cardstock is CTMH and SU!. Ribbon is Offray. 'J' stamp is from CTMH Believe Caps. I was inspired by Michelle Wooderson's blog, Mish Mash. If you've never been to her blog I encourage you to click here and check it out. She's AMAZING!!! I visit her blog at LEAST DAILY. No kidding!!
This is how I packaged them:
...again inspired by Michelle.
I purchased the clear boxes from PaperTrey Ink (If you've not been here yet either, you've GOTTA go!!!) and just wrapped it with some offwhite satin ribbon (Offray). I'm going to include a decorated pen and get them out to her later today!!
I'm SO glad I can get these off in the mail today!!

Thanks so much for stopping by!! I hope to be able to post something more later on today.
OH! and Joe's been working in my new 'studio'. He's pulled up the carpet and laid down the 'paper'. HOPEFULLY he'll begin laying the wood flooring later today once he returns from fishing. I'm SO excited to move into a bigger room. I don't know for sure WHEN exactly I'll be 'moving in' as we've talked about repainting as well and I'd REALLY like to get the painting done before moving everything up there.
Until next time.........
Happy Stamping!

Challenge

Are you interested in, or LOOKING for a new challenge each week?? Well, if you are, head on over to Stamp Something. It's a NEW challenge blog!! Each week (Friday) there will be a new challenge to inspire and motivate!!
This week the challenge is 'first's'-first technique, product, baby firsts, ANYTHING first's. Head on over to the blog for all the 'deets'.
Have FUN and happy stamping!!!!