DRAGGING!
I stayed up last night and watched Project Runway and paid for it all day. I've been dragging since I got up. I only stayed up til 11p.m. which isn't that late but it is an hour and a half past my bedtime. Hung out with some friends today working on a project and then had lunch with my pal Terry and shopping at Wal-Mart and I yawned the entire time! I should have taken a nap before the kids got home from school but thought I'd be worse for wear if I did that. Going to bed early tonight!
I'm trying to do one of Rhonna's Challenges (see my link to the right for Rhonna)
Still working on the first creative prompt and finished the second - which was to play around with different types/styles of font. Here is what I did. Sure do wish I could use my computer to it's full potential cause I'm sure it can do much more than I know it can. Loved the way it turned out though. Will share the 1st creative prompt when I get it finished.

Painting class project ~
These are the tissue boxes we are going to paint in my first HL class this Saturday.
Haven't decided if we'll have time to paint all the way around the box or if we'll just
get one side done and they can paint the rest when they take it home.












Sunflowers with white daisies








Sunflower with bee

Off to meetings today (OSC scholarship stuff) and then shopping to get all the supplies for my class on Saturday.

Yesterdays bowling scores are worth noting : 170, 181 and 173. Had a 524 series which ties me for the highest series of the season so far! YEAH! I'm sure it will passed - it's early in the season.
Supposed to be HOT today around 90 - is it fall where you are? It's still summer in middle GA most days!
Paid $2.09 yesterday for gas and my in-laws paid $1.94 this past weekend I think in South Carolina. If it gets below $2.00 I'm gonna take a picture of the sign. Wish I had done the same when it was around $3.00 a gallon.

No longer MIA
Can't believe it's been almost a week since I blogged. I have to admit that I got on several times and was just too busy to sit and write.
Thursday of last week we had our spouses club BINGO - didn't win a thing - didn't expect to so wasn't disappointed when I didn't. We had a record number turn out for our function which was very exciting. Friday, I helped some friends work on a special surprise for an event they have coming up. Hubby came home and ran out the door with son #1 and #3 to go to the McTier Family Reunion in Thomson, GA. I had the car packed (forgot some items - allergy medicines, socks for son#1) and they were off. Kendall had 3 soccer games this weekend so we stayed behind to go to those. It makes me so nervous that they put him in as goalie. He did really well though the entire weekend and they won 2 of the 3 games. He had some awesome saves! Here is a pic of him during practice just before game #1.











Family came home while we were at the third game yesterday which we won 5-1 ~ all exhausted from a busy weekend and way too much food! My fabulous father-in-law had these beautiful pomagranites (SP?) growing in his yard so he picked some with me in mind!! SWEET! He thought it would make good inspiration for a painting! I'm working on it and will share when I'm done.












My friend Terry is coming over to paint this morning and I got a head start. I haven't painted in well over a week and it was driving me crazy! As soon as I got my stuff together I couldn't wait and got to painting. I LOVE this canvas painting. I got the idea from a painting Donna Dewberry did for the auction during Super Education Convention this summer and I just had to do something like it. I couldn't get a great picture of hers at the auction because of all the stage lights but had a blurry enough picture that I got the idea of how things were painted. I've also been looking through the Sunday paper ads for inspiration with bed spreads, curtains and any thing else that is similar to this. Haven't decided if I'm going to frame it or not. It's in my dining room right now (the red room) but since I never keep anything that I paint for myself I'm not even sure it will stay in my house.















After I painted the canvas I had WAY too much paint on my plates so I had to paint something else. I used the fabric paint on both (a new paint by PLAID that is UNBELIEVABLE!!!!) Right now it's only available on HSN and Donna will be on HSN on the 28th with more hopefully! It's soft, doesn't dry hard, and is so easy to apply. I love the green and white on this ORANGE shirt. I applied swarovski crystals to the middles of each flower. Wanted to go crazy with the crystals but thought the shirt had just enough on it without going over the top.
Not sure what Terry and I are gonna paint today but have so much to get busy working on. I've been picking up ornaments here and there and should get a jump start on those before the holidays. Have some Christmas presents I need to start working on and some glassware for my mom's friends. Just not enough hours in the day!
Have a fabulous week!

Bowling Tuesday - OUCH!
I should have stayed home from bowling today actually - my scores were terrible!
My average had gone up to 155 but after today I'm sure it will go WAY down.
I bowled a 121, 160, and a big whopping 117.
Good NEWS though - I filled my first One Stroke painting class at Hobby Lobby!!!! YAHOO!!
I had a fabulous painting class at my house yesterday and this is what we painted:






Had a great class and the ladies did so well!! Now they have something to hang on their wall for FALL. Love the stamps - we used those instead of painting the letters. It was nice that I could lay them out to get my spacing before stamping each one! I'm busy busy busy for the next couple of days with spouses club stuff. We play bingo on Thursday - but I never win so if I do it will be a big deal!!! and of course I'll post my winnings!!

YAHOO!! Our town got a HOBBY LOBBY!
Went to Hobby Lobby last week to see if they had a One Stroke Painting Instructor
yet and they didn't and were very excited that I came in. YEAH! They will provide me with a class room and allow me to teach classes and the only deal is that the attendees must purchase their project items at Hobby Lobby! Win Win situation if you ask me!
I met my friend Terry there on Friday morning for their soft opening and spent 2 1/2 hours shopping. It was overwhelming the amount of stuff they have and so much needed in this town. The only other craft store in town is Michaels and belive me they will have a run for their money now - cause you could fit 4 of their stores in HL ~ which means the selection on everything is so much better.
After shopping Friday, I had to go back on Saturday and get the things I saw and wish I had purchased on Friday. On Friday, when I was finished I walked up to the register with no lines whatsoever and on Saturday it was a different story - 11 registers I think and all about 15/20 deep with people. It was a mad house and very crazy!
Here are some of the goodies I got and all of it was 50% off!
The stamp set I think was my best value for money item ~ 70 stamps with the entire alphabet (upper and lower case) plus punctuation and numbers ~ originally $24.99 and I got it half price! The green and orange boards I'm gonna use for my painting class tomorrow here at my house ~ we're painting something for FALL/HARVEST.
The round ceramic ornaments that I already started painting like PEACHES, since I live here in GA ~ thought those would make awesome ornaments and they were the right price .50cents each.
LOVE LOVE LOVE the London and Paris signs! After living in Europe for 5 years I just thought they would look awesome in my house. Now, I'm gonna work on some canvas collages using the pictures I have from both places. Would still love to find ROME as this was one our favortie places we visited as a family while living in Europe. They were cheap too $12.99 and $9.99 and then half off!





























Love these bath enamel pans! Don't be mad at my Terry! We both loved them when we saw them on Friday and we only saw this one set up on top of a shelf. They were being used to decorate the top of a shelf and I just had to find out how much they were when I went back on Saturday. The larger one was only $14.99 and the smaller one $8.99 PLUS 50% off that! I looked for another set cause I was actually gonna buy them for my friend T but they had no more that I saw. sorry.
They look great on my jacuzzi tub!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA!




It's my grandma's birthday!
This photo was taken when she
came to visit us in England in 2004.
Gosh, look how young my boys are!
They sure have grown.
We love you grandma and hope you
have a fabulous day!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOLLAND!
My baby is "10" today!!!!
I cannot believe that my youngest is already 10 years old. A decade! Where did that time go??? I never really believed it when people would say "they'll be out of the house before you know it" and here my baby is "10". YIKES!
Holland is the comic in our family and at least once a day cracks us up with some joke or remark. One of our favorite to date is ~ one day he asked DH and I where cognito was? Get it INcognito. He thought it was a place you go and it just cracked us up to the point of sore ribs from laughing so hard.
Speaking of laughs ~ he has a great laugh! It makes me laugh or smile when I hear him laugh cause it's just so cute and contagious!

Update on my dad is that he doesn't need stints in his heart but during the surgery his blood pressure dropped dramatically and they kept him in the hospital overnight. He'll hopefully get to come home tomorrow - chatted with mom today and she was exhausted!

One of my favorite stores is opening this week and cannot wait!!!! HOBBY LOBBY!!!!!!
I walked through it today to chat with the manager about teaching painting classes and SAW SO MUCH STUFF THAT I ABSOLUTELY LOVED!!!! It opens this Friday and the Grand Opening is next Wednesday (Sept.18) might be doing a demostration painting during this time. Will keep you posted and post any pictures if I do.

Have to go and decorate this cake before my boys get off the bus.
Ciao!

UPDATE: Got the cake decorated and ready just before the boys got off the bus. We ran a couple of errands and then ate a fabulous dinner at Longhorn Steak House. They surprised Holland with a nice LOUD song and bowl of ice cream. Sure do wish I could make steak like that at home! Melted in my mouth!
Uncle Matt, Aunt Debbie, Hannah and Andrew came over for cake and ice cream (which Steven and I didn't eat any of )boohoo boohoo - we are off sugar right now and I got a headache while slicing it up just from smelling it. Holland wanted chocolate cake with vanilla icing between the two layers and chocolate icing all over! YUM!!! I so wanted to sit down with a fork and eat a bunch of it. DH has lost 12 lbs. so far and me 10 lbs.

Prayers and hugs for my dad!
He is having surgery tomorrow (in Germany) to see if he needs stints in
his heart or if they have to do open heart surgery! Will hopefully hear how the procedure went and hope he is well and healthy.

Bowling day today ~ I was so tired and wanted to stay home actually but after my
terrible first game (119) I bowled a 167 and 168.

I'm off to take a nap ~ something I don't get to do too often ~ but I'm tired kids will be home soon!

Busy busy today but made time for ART today! Took my oldest and youngest sons to their bowling leagues this morning. My oldest has moved up and is now bowling with the Jrs. & Srs. This means that he is bowling with kids his age and up to 19/20. YIKES - He is 12! I don't want him exposed to what they will be talking about not to mention their actions. He is on a good team though with other 12 year olds and one 17 year old that is very kind so at least he is not mixed in with a bunch of 18 & 19 yr olds. They both bowled well and had a great day! I was BUSY and didn't get to watch either of them bowl today. I am a parent coach so I help the bantam preps (6-11) and make sure they bowl on the right lane, keep their shoes tied, keep them seated until it's their turn to bowl and give lots of high fives and "way to go" and "it's okay, don't cry, you'll get another ball".
Middle son had soccer today and they won 2 to nil. He played in goal the second half which makes DH and I so nervous! He plays again tomorrow (URGH! You'd think that in the Bible belt they wouldn't have sports on Sundays) and the game is in Savannah - 3 hours away - so that will be 6 hours travel time for a hour game or just over. Crazy.
Here is what I did today: I saw Keisha Campbell (on Christi's links) do something similar to this with the clipboard and I just loved it. Took a picture of myself and just created.













END OF SUMMER SALES:
Picked up these two pairs of flip flops at the craft store for close to nothing about a month ago and decided since I had paint out I'd get them painted as well. Good thing I can still wear them - it's still summer down here in middle GA.

September 8, 2006
Happy Friday!
I was quite busy the past couple of days and had no time to write. Had to get ready for a spouses board meeting and then had that yesterday as well as a program by the Aviation Musuem for the board. That was fun. Then off to lunch with the the First Lady of Georgia, Mrs. Perdue to talk about the importance of Court Child Advocates. Very interesting. Very sad and disturbing to hear all the facts about abused and neglected children.
Today was the first day this week that I am just at home - don't have to go anywhere or do anything expect clean this house of mine.
Wanted to share a BEFORE picture with you of a piece of furniture I picked up at an auction while in Nebraska this summer (visiting my awesome friend Nancy and family).
It was dirt cheap $15.00 I think and was covered in terrible brown paint. It's not an heirloom piece but fun with the magazine pouches on the sides. I've been inspired to paint it a certain way - of course, it's up in my head so now I have to get it out! Will share when I do.
Have a great weekend!















BTW: Gas was $2.37 a gallon yesterday.

bowling scores
Okay...before I wash them off my hand let me tell you how I bowled today. My first game I came out blazin' with a 173 then reality hit and I bowled a 136 and my last game a 158.
Not too bad but typically inconsistant for me.
Back on the no sugar thing and all was going great til I read Heidi Swapp's blog about chocolate chip cookies and that is all I've thought about since yesterday after reading it. Today I feel sluggish, tired and would really like to crawl under the covers but no a mother's work is never done so I best get myself in gear and get dinner going, homework finished, and since I have one on restriction from the TV I should see if he wants to read with me. Maybe a small bite of a C.C.C. won't hurt me.... or maybe I'll just smell it and dream ~ I'll keep you posted.

BTW ~ Gas today was $2.45 -wow, hope it keeps coming down.

LABOR Weekend
I think my husband took the Labor Day weekend literally and thought we needed to do some hard labor around the house!
We had fun though and make such a good team! We put railing around our deck out back and it looks awesome. He said he was going to Lowes to see what they had and he came back with a van full of stuff to start the fun. We put the entire thing up after church on Sunday and yesterday he went out to get paint and stain to complete the job ~ something I'll do when the kids are in school and daddy is at work. This was one of those unfinished jobs left by the builder and it just looked incompleted so we completed it and we're very happy with our handy work if I say so myself.
I rearranged some furniture - something my hubby just loves to do - NOT - and finally got a rack to hold most of my paints so that I can have them in one place and not 5 different drawers. Probably need to get a second with as much paint as I have - OR - I just need to paint more - that sounds better to me.
Back to work and school today and I'm off to bowl with the wives! Bowled way to high last week since those numbers are used to set our averages and now we'll have to see if I can keep it up.
Miss all my girls in England - thanks for checking out my blog! and my bestest friend Nancy Mc. got your message ~ almost made me cry ~ thank you!
Have a fantastic week!

Family weekend
Soccer season and bowling leagues kick off next weekend and this is our last family weekend together at home where we really have no where to be and no schedule to follow! We LOVE weekends like this and starting next weekend we'll be going in many different directions getting kiddos to certain places. We are fortunate that we don't have too busy a schedule on a normal basis and even when the kids are involved we limit it to one activity at a time so that we aren't going in 50 different directions every day of the week. It's gray outside ~ makes me just want to crawl up on the couch with a blanket and my family and watch movies. When you walk outside though - it's HOT and humid and if the clouds clear it is suppose to be up to 92 degrees today.
Told you I'd keep you up to date on the gas prices - $2.49 a gallon today. Not to shabby and hope it keeps coming down especially before the holidays.
I've started painting fall and Christmas things and will share as I get them done.
Have a fantastic Labor Day weekend!


















This plate had a white poinsetta on it from this summer when I went to Super Convention. I hated it! So I cleaned it off and painted something for fall. Think I might add some acorns to go with the leaves on the border of the plate.

16 YEARS of Wedded Bliss
Wow! Today was the day 16 years ago I married the man of my dreams! The day I met this man I knew we would be together for the rest of our lives. We are best friends! Still crazy about each other like the day we met. Pulled this pic off an album page that I wasn't too crazy about and wanted to share. DH and I looked through the album and tried to remember names of people (we didn't write down all the names) and chatted about all the memories leading up to the wedding, our wedding, the reception, and our honeymoon in Hong Kong. BEAUTIFUL!




















Unfortunately, I think so many people put all of their energy into the planning of the wedding and the wedding day and don't really plan or think about what the future holds. Even after only knowing my DH for 6 months we talked about the future. We TALK a lot and actually hear each other. All the planning didn't go into our wedding but into our future and the life we saw that we wanted together ~ if you know what I mean.
I used to always joke because of my luck with men or should I say bad luck that God put my Mr. Right in Ethiopia or somewhere cause he wasn't around where I lived. Well, He actually put him in Okinawa, Japan. He had it all planned. What an amazing, awesome plan! Lucky me!