Garden Goodness

Here's part of what we've been doing this summer.  Ok, really me.  I raked, weeded, planted and picked the garden.  So far we are reaping some great rewards.  H-U-G-E zucchini's, at least 15-20 so far, some yellow squash, a good 2 lbs of green beans, some Japenese eggplants and a few tomatoes.  Including some heirloom ones - red stripey and pink girl.  Yum.

You know what chaps my ass?

Those stupid, freaking annoying "tax relief" commercials.  "We owed the IRS 3 million dollars, but only paid 1 million dollars."  Really?  Glad to hear you skipped out on your taxes.  Bastards.  Apparently, I'm supposed to be happy for them.  I'm not.  Last I checked, the IRS didn't give me 66% break because I paid my taxes late.

*rant over*

A post? Really a new post?

It's been far too long, but the summer has been busy and full of fun activities, so my blog absence is from good times.  I've been scrapping the last couple weeks, after taking a month or so off and not creating a thing.  I've gotten back into scrapping with my project 12 layouts.  I'm catching up, happy to say that March, April and June are done, while May's layout is sitting waiting for a few touches and it will be complete as well.  And if you can believe it, June's layout is done BEFORE the deadline.  Go figure.

Here is June:

I used some October Afternoon Thrift shop and those awesome corrugated alpha's from Jillibean Soup.

For good measure, here are April and March layouts as well. 

Alright, off to do some creating - I have the Apron Strings August Bigger than a Breadbox kit in hand and it is awesome!  Echo Park papers and Jillibean Soup papers!  I already have one single page layout almost completed and a two-pager as well.

Reclaiming "Me."

I'm not exactly sure when I "decided" to reclaim my body, maybe sometime in  March?  But, since then I've been eating better, and eating less, and exercising more. Walking on my breaks at work, and adding elliptical at night along with some weight lifting.  Fast forward to Tuesday, and I'm down 11 pounds.  My goal is 20 pounds total, so, halfway there.  I can see, and feel a difference.  Even John has noticed.  Just being able to see the change, is very motivating to keep going.   My goal is based purely on vanity - I want to wear a bikini again, and I want to wear it well.

Exercising has given me another "me" time.  Scrapbooking is a creative escape, exercise is a stress reliever.

We're getting back into the swing of spring/summer schedules again.  Tee-ball for Alexa, softball for me, visiting the cottages on the weekends when we can, looking forward to school being out.

In a couple of days the ASD May kit will go live, and it has one of my favorite scrapping items included in the "bigger than a breadbox kit" - Glimmer Mist.  Even in a color I didn't have! 

Hopefully it will stop raining and dry out here soon, it's been raining bucket and the girls have been a bit cooped up inside after school.

I took a bit of a break.

No blogging, very little scrapping, just hanging out at home playing out side with the chicklets, or working.  Not too exciting.  But, I'm back in the groove again.  So, here's to more regular blogging.  I've also been working with the May Bigger than a Breadbox kit from Apron Strings and it's F-A-B.

I stumbled across this video online.  Totally. Awesome. 


Alright, with that I'll be back sooner than last time!

Confession: I think I can be a bit obsessive...

Or maybe compulsive?  A little of both?  When I start reading a book and I find it an easy read or a great book, I can't stop reading.  It was wonderful reading in the sunlight, and warmth, listening them to girls play outside. 

I finally decided to read the Twilight series.  Hi Maria, welcome to 2005.   My assessment (so far) would be "easy read."  Not the greatest literary works of art, but entertaining.  I really thought I would dislike the books immerserably.  My husband even sat through the movies from Netflix (do I need to take away a man card for that?)  Since Thursday night, I've read Twilight, New Moon, half of Eclipse and the posted transcript of  Midnight Sun.  Hmm, I'm thinking obsessive might fit the most right now.  I'm compelled to finish the books even though I pretty much know who the whole series ends.

 I do get annoyed with the characters (Bella can be whiny, and Jake is the teenager that doesn't get the hint the girl doesn't like him), but overall, I"m enjoying the books. 

So after this post, dinner, the SPARTAN GAME (!!!!!) and when the chicklets are back in bed, I'm finishing Eclipse. 

If we weren't going to spend the better part of tomorrow out of the house, I'd probably read Breaking Dawn.  Maybe just a bit obsessive.

Read to me.

Chillaxin and reading in my favorite spot on the sofa.