Things I Know Today--Grateful Edition

Crater Lake Oregon. Taken by me in 2006 (I think)

• I miss my mother terribly--but I'm grateful for the 14 months we had while they lived here.


• I'm grateful that my 5 year old seems to be outgrowing his speech delay and other delays in leaps and bounds. He's already starting to read to me and is hungry for knowledge each day. Go Mrs. Weldon! (she was H's kindergarten teacher as well, and she is a fantastic teacher!)


• I'm grateful that my almost 14 year old daughter still talks to me about the important things on her mind.


• I'm glad that we can spend Thanksgiving with so much of Joel's family. He's one of 9 children, and 7 of them live close enough to come to Thanksgiving. Our family dinners usually include about 50 people. One remarkable year we only had 35. I've never cooked a turkey. But I've peeled lots of potatoes (well Joel does most of the peeling) for mashed potatoes.


• I'm grateful for the freedoms we enjoy in this country. I'm grateful for the time when people work together for the greater good.


• I'm grateful for all of my material blessings. We are lucky enough to enjoy several wants and have no unfufilled needs.


• I'm grateful for the knowledge that I am a daughter of God who knows me and loves me.


• I'm grateful for an extended network of loving supportive friends. There are times when it's my friends who get me through the day.


• I'm also grateful for those who read this blog. I'd probably write anyway, but it's nice to know people are reading what I have to say.


• I'm grateful for my kids, my husband, and the togetherness our little family enjoys.


• I'm grateful for paper and crafty outlets.


• I'm glad I can sing. I love singing.


• I'm grateful for hugs and kisses from my kids


• I'm grateful my middle child H has started coming into my room to talk to me about girls before going to bed. I sometimes worry that he gets lost in our daily life. I like being able to connect with him each night.


• I'm grateful for my health. I'm learning that you can't take it for granted.

I'd like to encourage you to give some definitions to what you are grateful or thankful for. Not just because of Thanksgiving, but because it can really help your perspective. Perspective, in my opinion, is a good thing. Hopefully, you'll find you have more good in your life than you thought.

And that's the other side.

Free CD Case Calendar

I've added a link in the "free downloads" section for a Downloadable CD Case calendar. It's purposely left very bare--perfect for your inner minimalist, or decorate it up with stamps, stencils, patterned paper, and so on to fit your tastes. You'll want to cut it into 5 3/4 inches by 4 5/8 inches to fit in your CD Case. Enjoy! If you make it, link back here in the comments section so we can see it! Thanks!

Things I Know Today

Practicing "Ghost" images with H

• There's nothing quite like a Snickers bar when you've got your crave on. (although the full-size bar is almost too big!)


• In order to make life worth living, EVERYONE needs to be passionately inspired by something--whether it's a great conversation, a neat creative project, a good book, time to yourself, time with your kids, your job--everyone needs to be inspired by something to get the most out of life


• I am SO VERY STOKED about a series of classes I am designing for next year at Stampin'Cat. Called "No Ordinary Stories," my plan is to have this be part journal prompt, part personal history, part mixed-media collage, part art journal, and part bookmaking. It's going to be an awesome ride!


• A bright sunny day hovering at 70 degrees is the perfect antidote for gray, rainy, colder days.


• When the day is bright and sunny, it's nice to have one great song after another come on the radio.

Alcohol Ink Magnetic Advent Calendar

I LOVE LOVE LOVE how this turned out! This is one of my November classes for Stampin'Cat. I wanted to make a magnetic Advent Calendar for some time; I had a clear vision in my head how I wanted it to turn out. It took longer than I thought it would though! I used Alcohol Inks to change the color of the tin, and some other products from Making Memories, Paper Accents and so on. I used the Slot Punch attachment set for the Making Memories Instant Setter to make the flaps on the folded pieces.

Products:

• 12x12 Tin Sheet from Paper Accents
• Ranger Alcohol Inks in Pesto and Metallic Copper
• 2x2 glassine envelopes from Paper Accents
• "Alphanumber Backgrounder" stamp from Cornish Heritage Farms
• "Nature's Moments" Tim Holtz cling stamp from Stamper's Anonymous (link will take you to the catalog--it's in the Summer 2007 section, p. 12)
• Cranberry Crisp ink from SU
• Olive Pastel Chalk Inks
• Paper from Making Memories

This is a Service Advent Calendar. The inserts all involve things to do--some for other people ("Put money in a bell-ringer's jar") Some for yourself ("Kiss under the mistletoe"). I'll have the formatted squares in the Downloadable section of the blog in case you want to make your own. I was really thrilled with how it all went together!

Enjoy!

Happy Halloween!

From this:

To This:

Happy Halloween!

Things I Know Today

*written as I waited in line at the middle school to pick up J.*

• I want to write in my Journal more


• I miss sleeping past 4am


• I really need to exercise more


• I like blogging and writing and miss it when I don't do it


• I like taking pictures


• I want to find something I can make and sell on etsy unique enough to be mine and something that people will buy that I can make quickly enough to be worth it


• I'm happy in my marriage


• I'd like to be a better student of the gospel


• I can't remember much of my New Year's resolutions/goals


• I still want to write my novel


• lately I feel like a lazy person who would rather vege than do much else. Maybe it has somthing to do with not sleeping past 4am


• we need to prepare better for the future

Just random thoughts that were swimming through my head as I waited that day. I had the urge to write them down so grabbed my journal as I went out the door. For some backstory: I started writing a Young Adult novel last year about this time. I really love this story, and there are times that it consumes me. Yet I am having the trouble making the time to write it out. It's still important to me though, and I'd really like to finish it. The 4am stuff? It's my new job. I've been tutoring Korean children over the phone. They are in Korea, I'm in Oregon. They read assigned newspaper articles and basically I quiz them on it. They give me a summary, we discuss it, we have vocabulary words. 10 minute lessons in all. I've been enjoying working with the students, and find it crazy that when it's 4:30 am my time, it's 8:30 pm the same day in Korea. I work for about four hours, so by the end of my shift, it's after midnight for them. Crazy!

I've been thinking a lot about preparing for the future. Buying one or two food storage items when I go shopping each time. Trying to think of what we can do without. Planning a homemade Christmas as much as possible. I'm really grateful that for once, my hubby did what we've been talking about and had a small portion of each paycheck put into savings this year so that we actually have a small fund for Cmas purchases already set aside. I'm also grateful that my kids don't have a huge sense of entitlement. That helps.

So what's on your mind today? Write it down, make a list, or blog about it. If you blog about it, leave a comment and a link so we can all support each other.

Tell us what you know today.

Some Good Advice from Glenn Beck

I found this on the'net and thought it was too good to keep to myself. Some really great advice about a situation we are ALL facing right now.

Glenn Beck: "Get Ready..."

I don't talk about politics very often here, but as I said, we are all going to be dealing with this. Let's get ready and meet things head on.

Updated my Playlist!

Scroll down to hear my playlist. It won't start automatically--that always freaks me out on other blogs.

I know that I've promised you more "I Carry Your Heart" entries. I've been super busy with my new job. I will get to it soon. I have lists of things for Handmade Christmas ideas. Lists! Lists I must share!

Enjoy!

My Six Secrets

Jill tagged me and challenged me to share Six Secrets on my blog. I've shared through blog memes in the past, but maybe now I have different readers so it would be worth sharing again. Who knows?!?

Here goes:

1. I've moved over 50 times. Once I hit 50, I stopped counting. Mostly small moves within the same city, but still...that's a lot. We've lived in our current house now for 5 and half years. That's the longest I've had one address my entire life.
2. I was on the fencing team in Junior College. At the one tournament we had (it was a small school) I beat all the other female fencers. And a lot of the guys. I wish I'd been able to keep it up. I liked it a lot.
3. I started singing when I was 3 years old. I still sing every week. It's one of my favorite things to do.
4. I was a contestant on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire in it's heyday in the year 2000. I met Regis. I didn't win anything. We had a carryover contestant that took the bulk of the taping time. I totally got gypped. Usually they have 4 "fastest finger" round per episode. When I taped, there was only two. The only guy who beat me in the practice rounds was in the chair when we finished taping. Statistically, I would have been next. At least, that's what I tell myself. Either way it was a fun experience! (and no, I've not scrapbooked the pictures yet. I was trying to figure out the best way to showcase them).
5. I can't stand pickles or ketchup. I don't even like the smell of ketchup. Blech! I buy it for my family--who love it. That's how selfless I am. I even wash their ketchup-y dishes.
6. It's not really a secret, especially among those that know me well, but I LOVE bargain hunting at thrift stores and the like. It really makes my day to find something wonderful for just pennies on the dollar. Like a few weeks ago, I picked up a brand new piece of Pampered Chef stoneware for $5. I love the thrill of the hunt!

That's all I could think of for now. I'll tag Allanna and Satina, Cate (who deserves a shout-out anyway for being a loyal blog reader!) and anyone else who wants to play. Just leave a comment here so we can follow you to your blog!

Go-See! Halloween Miniature!

I am IN LOOOVVVE with this super-cute Halloween Minature. Makes me want to run to JoAnn's and get a fake pumpkin. If you scroll down a bit, her fall tree paintings (a project you can do with your kids) is pretty awesome as well. Heck, the whole thing is bursting with interesting, kid-friendly, fall crafty projects. Take a look around while you are there; I know I'll be hovering for a bit.