Hello again...

So, fine. All of those people who said it couldn't be done were right. Keeping up daily or even every other day with my blog is next to impossible. I admit it - but at least I tried! Anyway...I'm back from a short hiatus. My mother-in-law visited last weekend - we had so much fun and she really enjoyed her trip! Plus, ISAT was going on during these last two weeks, but it is officially over and my kids handled it well considering the fact that most were taking tests at least 2 grade levels above what they are capable of. I only had a few students crying...I cried a few times, but nothing major.

Our car is back, but we now are longing for a Sonata after driving a rental while Barbara (Shan's mom) was visiting. Oh my goodness how I loved driving a new(er) car! We have resolved to work our fannies off in order to be able to afford a new(er) car in the not-so-distant future.

On other topics....I have been invited to a few different creative teams in the last few days. I am really excited about it - plus I'm a guest for a few people in April and May as well. Darcy Baldwin (font designer) has awarded me a month guest spot in April and since I am addicted to fonts, this pleases me more than you'll ever know! :)

I had a really good PartyLite show last night - I made $115 and the hostess ended up with about $400 of product for only $120. She was excited...and I was excited to make some money and help her get free stuff in the process! :) Now I just need to sell $40 more this month in order to qualify. I hope I can do it. If nothing else, I'll just order a few things I need for my shows and tack it on to the show from last night.

Shannon is excited about a possible opportunity and is waiting to find out more about it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Check out my Slide Show!

Root-a-toot-toot for me (and Kara)!

So I just found out that I am now a Guest CT Member for Jennifer Barrette! I can't wait to get started making my layouts with her awesome girly-girl kits! Her kits can be found at Hooked On Digi Scrap! Go check them out! I am going to get started on my layouts with her stuff tonight! :) I can't wait! I have to figure out how to add her blinkie to my siggy, now as well! LOL! Ugh.

Kara is now rocking out layouts for a few designers, but I can't remember which I can tell and which are still secret, so check out her blog to find out! LOL!

SSD From Our Blog to Yours - 3 Questions

1. If you could witness one supernatural event–whether you believe in the supernatural or not–what would it be? Why?
I am a Christian, but since Kara (MommySpice)considers me a heathan, I'll opt for a heathen-type answer! LOL! I would LOVE to be able to witness a paranormal event like they do on Ghost Hunters. At the same time, I am too scared to think what I'd do if it really did happen. I have had a few minor experiences when I was in high school and college, but nothing really personal.

2. What is your earliest memory? Why do you think you have remembered that particular event or thing?
I am struggling with this one, because I don't know how to tell which came first. I do remember a lot of things about preschool...getting a staple stuck under my thumb nail after I was told not to play with the staple, playing dress up in the "treehouse" with some kids from my neighborhood, and being really sad when my friend katie moved away. I also have a strange "memory" that was sparked by a photo of me with my dad. I didn't remember it until I saw the photo and then I could remember looking back at him and seeing him standing right where he is in the photo. Did that make sense? I probably remember a lot about preschool because it was my first "out on my own" type experience with friends and teachers. I loved school, so I'm sure that had something to do with it. It bothers me that Shannon has one memory from when he was in diapers and I can't remember anything that early...I think I'm jealous or something LOL!

3. Pick a friend or acquaintance with whom you think you would like to start a new business venture. What business?
Well, I'm sure a lot of us are going to say the same thing on this one. I would LOVE to start a "scrapper-for-hire" or some sort of scrapping business. I think I would LOVE the chance to get paid for doing something I have become so passionate about. I would LOVE to own a scrapping store where people could come and take classes, work on computers for digital scrapping, teach classes, etc... Maybe someday. Obviously Kara and I would rock out together as business partners, but we probably wouldn't get anything done...LOL. My friend Angie B. and I have talked about starting the same kind of busines....there are just always a few things holding us back - money, location, timing, money, and money. LOL!

It's Fridayyyyyyyyy!

Ok, so I made it through this week without many bumps in the road. I got my car back FINALLY!!! We didn't have to sell our souls to pay for it...and it seems to be running fine so far. We are taking it back in for a "check-up" at 50 miles, so that makes me think that the place really cares about whether or not we got a decent engine and they did decent work.

My kids have been *eh* this week. Not nearly as bad as last, but I've seen better days. LOL! ISAT starts on Monday, so they are all freaking a little. I finished making the testing schedules, got all of my proctors set up with rooms and times, and now I just have to watch my kids attempt a standardized test that is, in some of their cases, 3 grade levels above where they are capable of at this point. A good time will surely be had by all! HA! Thanks, again to our fearless leader for that one!

Lily is staying the night with Mimi & Papa tonight and Shannon is going to help me in my classroom. I am so tired of my desk being the dumping ground for everyone's stuff as soon as they come in the door, so I'm gonna do a little spring cleaning/rearranging tonight and tomorrow. Also, I have to get all kinds of stuff ready to keep the little dears busy while the other students are testing. Since they all have to be tested 1-on-1, it is hard for me to actually teach on those days (at least in the morning).

My scrapping is coming along nicely. I feel like I've grown a lot since "spreading my wings" (as Kara says) from my first "home" and discovering all of these new designers and sites. I am waiting to hear about a few CT Calls I applied for, so that is always exciting! If Teresa Ferguson picks me for her template team I will probably pee my pants! LOL! And I'm only about 68% joking on that one! I made a layout for Kara this week in memory of Joey. I am so happy with the way it turned out - and so was she! It was a lot of fun to create something so special for my scrappin' buddy!!! :) I am going to try to post it on here...we'll see how that goes.

5 Songs to sum up last week...

This week, the From Our Blog to Yours Challenge at Sweet Shoppe Designs was to list the 5 songs to describe my week last week. Hmm...I'm getting some help from Shannon on this one - he picked the first one.

1. Waiting is the Hardest Part, Tom Petty - We spent all last week waiting for our car to get out of the shop, waiting to figure out how taxes were going to help/hinder the situation with the car, and basically just waiting to see if we were going to make it out of February with our checkbook still in the black.

2. Bad Day, Daniel Powter - See explanation from above...lol. Also, this is basically the song that I was hearing in my head every single day after work this week. It just kind of reminds me to suck it up and start fresh tomorrow. Plus, Lily really likes this song and it makes me think of her - therefore, it makes me smile.

3. This is the Life, Wendy Melvoin & Lisa Coleman from the Dangerous Minds Soundtrack
This songs pretty much sums up how I have been feeling about my job lately. I was just SO frustrated this week because I feel like I am not making any difference in any of their lives this year. I literally busted out singing this song one day in the middle of my classroom because now was listening to me...lol. My kids all just stopped and looked at me like I was crazy, but they stopped talking! :) My room is way too small, I don't have enough table space for all of them, none of them seemed to care about learning this week...and yet, I keep going back and I will keep going back because I have to, I need to, and deep down, I want to - even if it doesn't seem like it somedays.

4. Thank You, Dido - This song always reminds me of Shannon and the way that he can make me laugh even when I am convinced that it is all going to h-e-double-hockey sticks.

5. Better Together, Jack Johnson - This song, again, just sums up the way that Shannon and I are together. Things got pretty sucky this week, but we made it through and we hardly even argued...which is hard not to do when you're worried about money.