My Simple Little Life

Helloooooo, January! | Ten on Tuesday

Okay, I think I'm finally caught up - at least with all the *important* stuff! Whew! An unbelieveably busy holiday season almost immediately followed by a 9-day trip to AZ makes for LOTS of back-paddling, running around and mayhem in general. I'm sort of in shell-shock that it's the 24th already! There's SO much going on, so much to write about, so much I'm doing. But rather than bore you with all the gorry details, I'm going to borrow from my friend, Debra Blakely, and do a "Ten on Tuesday" list. Ten things (yes, I'm limiting it to 10, but I warn you - women are like spaghetti!) that are on the forefront of my brain right now. Here goes:

1)  We had an awesome visit to see our son, Matthew and our daughter-in-law, Martha in AZ. We did lots of catching up, eating (Martha's a chef and Matthew ain't a bad cook neither!), dog-walking around the lake, shopping of all sorts, venturing out, spade playing, sunset watching, BB shooting (Matthew got the Daisy Rifle from "A Christmas Story" for Christmas and now, of course, we want one, too) and more. I did bring my big old SLR digital Canon, but I also had a lot of fun taking pics with my iPod and especially using the Hipstamatic app. Here's a little collage of my fave photos:

(click image to view larger)

I just about full-on lost it as we drove away to return home - it had been a year since we'd seen M&M - but the only thing that saved me from heaving sobs was knowing that they are in the process of moving to North Carolina. They should be there by March. I know that's still a whole day of travel, but we won't have to make plane reservations, we can bring all our pillows, the camper, a cooler, whatEVER and we WILL see each other more often. Plus, we'll all be in the same time zone. That's comforting!

2) It wouldn't be a proper post if I didn't brag on my granddaughters. E continues to love school, willingly do any kind of activity we have planned, be the best little mommy to her little sister when we go places and just charm us. Yes, she has her silly moments, but she IS 7.5 after all! And Mags...well, being that she's 2.5, things are constantly changing with her. She is growing physically - and verbally! Her vocabulary seemed to just quadruple while we were gone. Where she spoke in mostly 3 word sentences before, that girl can hold an entire conversation now - and that's with just herself! We first noticed this when we phoned from AZ, but, wow, she has really become quite chatty! And, she's starting to cop a bit of that 2 y/o attitude. She's definitely testing the boundaries and using every bit of the power she thinks she has. I find it very amusing, for the most part. Her parents - probably not so much. We had the girls overnight this past weekend and we always prided ourselves on our ability to get Mags down for naps and overnight sleeps. Well, no more! She quite brilliantly came up with every possible detour to laying down and shutting her eyes - all in tearful hysterics, of course. Chris fell for it, but when I took over, though it took a while, I was able to talk her down successfully. You just can't let a 2 y/o win. Know what I mean?

Here's my favorite photo of them from the holidays:

 

3) I've decided to stop with the photo challenges and maybe even the scrapbooking challenges. NOT because I don't want to take photos or scrapbook, but because I have an endless supply of projects running around in my head at this point just wanting to be brought to fruition. And also because I'm taking two online year-long workshops (at Big Picture Classes - One Little Word and Move More Eat Well) which each involve an on-going album AND...

wait for it...

...I'm doing Project Life this year! PL encompasses taking lots of photos and documenting your everyday life, but in a weekly format. So, I figure I don't really need any prompts to get me scrapping or photo-taking. I've got plenty to keep me busy. I'm loving PL so far - AND I'm even all caught up! My conundrum this week is that it's a wonderfully quiet week, but, therefore, not much to take photos of. Maybe I'll do some around-the-house stuff.

4) Speaking of my continued (and never fading) LOVE of scrapbooking, (paper and digital) and art journaling, I'm eagerly anticipating the release of the March/Spring Issue of Stampington and Company's Somerset Digital Studio. Because I'm going to be published in it! Wow! I just think this is a superior publication full of amazing artists and to be included among them, well, I'm really honored. I can't wait til it comes out.  :) 

5) Just when I thought we maybe - MAYBE - might get away without any big snows this season, we get 5" dumped on us this past Saturday. Well, I know it could be much worse - and half of it is melted now. We didn't even get our 1/4 mile long driveway plowed because for one, our plow guy is no longer plowing and for another, we just wanted to see if we could tough it out since it's supposed to remain fairly mild for a while. I'm still crossing my fingers that after this melts that will be IT! C'mon early spring!

6) After the holidays and then our trip to AZ, I was SO anxious to get back on the healthy eating bandwagon. And this past Sunday, I did my first juice fast. I decided that I'm going to fast with juice just one day a week. It costs so much less that way and I still think it will be beneficial. Sort of like a clean out from the past week and a jump start for the new week. And, can I say? Since I've been avoiding sugar, junk food and fast food since we've been home for a week now - I have this funny feeling. I think it's called "energy"!  ;)

7) I made a point of walking around the little lake (and by little lake, I really mean pond) just across the street from M&M's house in AZ every day that we were there. It was just what I needed to get my exercise mojo going again. I was looking forward to getting out to walk on my driveway (as I said, it's a 1/4 mile!) but the snow/ice has put the ki-bash on that idea. BUT, I've got my Total Gym back in place after the holidays AND I started the Wii 30-day challenge (sans running) and it's all going really well. Hello, muscles! You ARE in there! I'm sure this is also helping with the energy level and the fact that I'm sleeping really well lately!

8) Chris got us tickets to see Iona in Allentown, PA in June. It's at a really small venue, which will be totally awesome. We have almost every album of theirs. They're a Christian/Celtic band. SO cool! I can NOT wait for this. And, since the concert's on a Tuesday, looks like we'll have a little overnight getaway. As it should be, for it will be a BIG birthday for me that week, as well as my 37th wedding anniversary (both on the same day, by the way). I'll be expecting lots of presents.  :)

9) Ohhhhhh, Downton Abbey! I am so head-over-heels in love with this PBS series. I just can't get enough of it. It's got everything a good period piece should have: engrossing plot, exquisite clothes and sets, gorgeous cinematography, romance, suspense and impeccable acting! LOVE!!!!!

10) Why is it that the second I strip down, ready to hop in the hot tub out on my secluded deck that a) I get a phone call and then as soon as I hang up, b) someone knocks at the door. Pfffftt!

Happy Tuesday!

One Little Word Blog Hop | December Assignment | 2012 Announcement

Welcome to my blog for our final blog hop for our 2011 word assignments from the One Little Word class at Big Picture Scrapbooking. Maybe you've been wondering what this has been all about. Then read my post and follow the hop and you'll get a great idea of how it works. And, NOW is a great time to choose YOUR "one little word" to concentrate on for 2012 - and then I highly recommend the class given by Ali Edwards, the founder of "One Little Word". It will keep you thinking about your word all year long as well as inspire you to go deeper and even, possibly, change you life a little bit (or a lot!). I've really enjoyed this class and it has been instrumental in getting the most out of the word I choose for 2011 - FOCUS.

There is a complete linky list of everyone participating in today's blog hop all the way at the end of this post.

And with that, on to our final assignment for 2011. No surprise that we were to go through our album full of class assignments from 2011 and review and summarize our experience with our word. Ali provided a sheet for journaling our summaries.

Can I say? I LOVE my One Little Word album! I love how it looks and I love everything I've put in there. It inspires me all over again to re-read it all. And it's so interesting to see how this word evolved for me. I plan on simply continuing in the same album, by the way, for 2012, with the addition of a divider page or even just a tab on the first page of my 2012 assignment sheet. But, I digress.

Here's a snapshot of my summary page:

(click image to view larger)

 

And here's how it looks in the album:

 

When I started out the year with my word FOCUS, my intention was to use this word as a means of accomplishing things in many areas of my life that I felt I didn't really finish in 2010 with my word "simplify". I felt I needed to "focus" more on these areas in order to accomplish the goals I'd set. Sounds good, right? I quickly realized, though, that to focus on too many things was resulting in a feeling of being overwhelmed and not really being able to focus well on any one thing. And, I began to realize that what I really needed to focus on above all else was my relationship with God, especially in the area of my quiet time with Him in the morning. I'd gotten out of the habit of having that quiet time with any regularity, what with all the busy-ness that was my life. I realized that just in focusing on having this time - which I spend in prayer, reading the bible, sometimes journaling and often just listening to God - I would gain the focus I then needed for whatever thing happened to be in my path that particular day. I've written in a lot more detail about this in my past One Litte Word blog hop posts. They're linked below if you care to look back.

http://mysimplelittlelife.typepad.com/blog/2011/02/one-little-word-bloghop-today.html
http://mysimplelittlelife.typepad.com/blog/2011/03/o.html
http://mysimplelittlelife.typepad.com/blog/2011/04/one-little-word-april-blog-hop-no-foolin.html
http://mysimplelittlelife.typepad.com/blog/2011/08/one-little-word-blog-hop-today.html
http://mysimplelittlelife.typepad.com/blog/2011/10/one-little-word-blog-hop-today-sept-assignment.html
http://mysimplelittlelife.typepad.com/blog/2011/11/one-little-word-blog-hop-october-assignment.html
http://mysimplelittlelife.typepad.com/blog/2011/12/one-little-word-blog-hop-november-assignment.html

To summarize, I realize now that God is not the aim of my focus, but the source of my ability to focus on what's in front of me that day. And I trust that God is in control and so orders my day. To put it in simple terms, I have found that I am able to better focus on whatever's in front of me on any given day by making sure that I am connecting with God at the beginning of each day. And not only am I better able to focus on what's in front of me, but I feel more of a connection to God's purposes and plans for me AND I feel a desire to glorify Him and be a good steward with what He's given me that day. A simple truth for life that HAS changed my life. (Disclaimer - I'm not perfect at this - and probably never will be, because I am, after all, human! But, because of choosing this word this year, I now realize how much I need to make this a priority - my focus, if you will - EVERY day!) Love it!

And now.........

drumroll, please.....

my NEW word for 2012 is...

(did you catch a glimpse of it in the last photo, above?)....

C R E A T E

I can't tell you how excited I am about this new word! Because MY plan is that it's going to pave the way for MUCH more activity in my art/scrap room this year! And that's the entire reason I chose it! Now, having said that, I'm fully aware that this little word may have more in store for me that I can even begin to realize right now. And that's why I'm so excited about it! I'm just excited to see where it will lead me and how my life will change because of it!

Another contender for next year was "move" - and heaven knows I need that word in my life! BUT, I signed up for Cathy Z's "Move More Eat Well" class for 2012 over at BPC and since that's an ongoing yearly class, I'm thinking that issue will be fully addressed!  :)

Here's a linky list of those participating in the hop today. I've noted where you are and where you're going from here. To simply continue on in order, click here to visit Jamie's blog!

And, before I go, I wish you a new year of abundant blessings!

Margie     http://xnomads.typepad.com

Cheri       http://cheriandrews.blogspot.com

Veronica  http://veronicanorris.typepad.com

Kara        http://iwannabemewhenigrowup.blogspot.com/

Rebekah  http://istampscrapcraft.blogspot.com/

Sharyn    http://www.LaVieEnChic.com

Jill           http:/www./jillconyers.com

Lynn        http://crafty-creativity.blogspot.com

Monica    http://www.scrapinspired.com/

Lisa         http://backtoallen.com/writers_blog

Cynthia H http://paperpapereverywhere.blogspot.com

Lee          http://thelinarstudio.typepad.com/embracelife/

Abbey      http://athomewiththerichardsfamily.blogspot.com/

Monica B  http://questtoperfectimperfection.blogspot.com 

Nikki        http://www.inkyart.com.au

Tere         http://terecontodomicorazon.blogspot.com/

Melissa S http://blog.mshanhun.com

Nicky       http://seejanebake.blogspot.com

Stephanie http://www.scrapworthylives.com/

Jenn L      http://studiojenn.blogspot.com

Cindy       http://seriousplay.typepad.com

Amanda   http://scrappnbee.blogspot.com

Sam        http://learncreatedo.wordpress.com/

Jan          http://mysimplelittlelife.typepad.com  <-----YOU ARE HERE

Jamie      http://jmpgirl.blogspot.com  <------GO HERE NEXT

Karen      http://breathenowsmile.blogspot.com/

My December Daily Album - on slideshow

I thought this would be a great way to share my December Daily Album. If you want to see it full screen, you can click on the lower right corner of the screen above and then click on the album title and it will take you to the web album. From there, you can select (top left, under the album title) slideshow. You can also view the pages individually at that site. Enjoy!

I want to also mention that besides using Ali Edwards' templates and overlays for my album, I also used an older digital kit from Little Dreamer Designs called Holly Jolly. It's a collaboration between quite a few great designers including Michelle Coleman, Lori Barnhurst, Leora Sanford, Heidi Larsen, Emily Merritt and Misty Mereda. You can't get it anymore, but you can check out Little Dreamer Designs out here. They have beautiful digital elements.

I'll be back on January 1st for the next One Little Word blog hop. If you're thinking about choosing a word for 2012, or are interested in finding out more about it, check out Ali Edwards' post here.

The granddaughters are arriving shortly for an overnight and then to spend the day with us tomorrow! Fun!

See you next year! :)

 

My Poor Little Blog :(

I'm so sorry, my poor little blog, for neglecting you for the whole month! This photo pretty much explains how my life has been this month:

A whirlwind, I tell you! A whirlwind!

I hereby PROMISE you that I will be back next year in full force. Being that next year is a mere 9 days away, it's not so bad. Among other things, I will be participating in the January One Little Word Blog Hop which will be a final review of my word for 2011 (focus) and an announcement of my NEW One Little Word for 2012. I'm excited about it. If it adds to my life in 2012 what "focus" has added to 2011, well, let's just say it should be a very productive year! Can't wait. And if you've been considering choosing a single word to focus on for 2012, I encourage you to do so. It can be life-changing! I also encourage you to sign up for Ali Edwards' class at Big Picture Classes, because it will truly help you to stay focused on your word throughout the whole year.

Okay! I'm off for a day of scrapping (one final Christmas project) and then a date night tonight!

I wish you a most blessed Christmas and an exciting and joy-filled 2012!
See you on the other side!

One Little Word Blog Hop | November Assignment

Welcome back to my blog for the November assignment "show and tell" for One Little Word. I daresay, it may be a little late to join in this project at this point of 2011. But - NOW would be a GREAT time to start thinking about a word to embrace (or be challenged by) for 2012. I have a few I'm considering. If you're new to One Little Word, check out Ali Edwards' blog here. She originated the idea and also teaches the class that has inspired these monthly blog hops. She is planning on doing another class for 2012 and that class can be found here, at Big Picture Classes under Ali's name beginning in probably December some time.

You will find a list of participants in this hop at the end of this post. I always find it so interesting and inspiring to check out each person's blog and see where they are on their journey. I hope you do, too. And, can I say? Thank you to ALL of you who have left such kind and encouraging words on my previous posts. I love reading each comment. Thank you!

On to our November assignment, which was to write a little bit (or a lot, if desired) about 6 prompts provided by Ali and then to use our inspired creativity to do something with the three remaining little cards filling out the 9-card protector.

I've talked a lot in my previous One Little Word posts about my journey with my word, which is FOCUS. I think this assignment has allowed me to just sum it all up in a concise way and so, to go completely against my chatty nature, I'm just going to let the cards speak for themselves through my photos below and then send you on your way to the next blog hop participant.

(close-ups just below...)

I wish you all an abundance of holiday blessings and sweet family time. See you again next year!
Jan

BLOG HOP PARTICIPANTS:

Margie   http://xnomads.typepad.com

Julie Ann   http://julieannshahin2.blogspot.com

Jill   http://jillconyers.typepad.com

Monica B   http://questtoperfectimperfection.blogspot.com

Nikki   http://www.inkyart.com.au

Debra   http://blakleyhomeplace.blogspot.com

Amanda   http://scrappnbee.blogspot.com

Sam   http://learncreatedo.wordpress.com

Lynn   http://crafty-creativity.blogspot.com

Cynthia   http://paperpapereverywhere.blogspot.com

Jan   http://mysimplelittlelife.typepad.com  <---YOU ARE HERE

Jenn   http://studiojenn.blogspot.com  <---GO HERE NEXT

Cindy   http://seriousplay.typepad.com

LIsa   http://backtoallen.com/writers_blog

 

Gorgeous November days

We've had nothing but glorious sunshine for the past week now - and it's forcasted for at least days into the future. I. love. it. so!

I was a little concerned when we were having tons of rain and then, gasp!, SNOW that I wasn't going to be able to test out my new hip on my driveway (along with my new sneakers).

But, my worries (as usual) were all for nought, because I've been able to get out most everyday for at least a little "pushing through". I call it pushing through because that's what it feels like so far. I had my hip replacement surgery 10 weeks ago and I've been walking on my own for almost 4 weeks now. The improvement has been phenominal. My muscles in my operated leg only took 1/2 my weight at most for the first six weeks and were also, of course, healing from being incised as well. So walking again has been a matter of consciously trying to take balanced, full range-of-motion steps to re-accustom my muscles to a steady gait. Which they haven't really had in years because I was gimping around so much PRE surgery.It's not been easy.

I've been doing some balance exercises on my Wii Fit (I can see how truly great these are for getting things evened out again. The first week my balance was pretty off centered, to the left, no surprise. Today, I was able to easily hold that center line - even with my eyes closed! Progress!). I'm also doing the Wii Sports Fitness test several times a week which involves bowling (well, picking up spares, actually), hitting baseballs and tennis. Except for the first time I tried it, my "Wii age" has been consistently below my actual age. Yay! And, really, I try to make lots of things a challenge. Going up the stairs, for instance, one foot at a time (instead of double-footing it) was really hard at first, but I can now almost go up without even holding the rail - one foot at a time. More progress!

I have to say I'm really starting to feel like my life is back to normal. Well, better than normal, because I AM able to do some exercising and walking. That will only get better. And I'm sleeping better - even on my sides a bit. (oh, the joy!) I just hardly even think about the surgery anymore, other than the fact that I do have to consciously plan in exercise so I can regain ALL my muscle strength. THEN I can really begin to BUILD it again.

One of the BEST things, though, truly, is being able to go out for walks/strolls through the woods and into the fields with Chris and the girls. I haven't really been able to do that for so long and these gorgeous days are giving me ample opportunity. The girls just love, love, love being outside and I equally love being out there with them. I don't want to miss a thing they do when they're at our house.

So, of course, I have a bunch of photos from this past weekend's visit to share with you. We started off heading out to the field along our driveway (our driveway is pretty private, it's 1/4 mile long). E took off on her bike - a newly acquired accomplishment, taught to her by none other than her Grandpa (Chris). She's loving that and takes every opportunity to ride it. (Can't wait to surprise her with a much needed NEW bike for Christmas - and Maggie's getting a trike.) And Chris pulled Maggie up to the field in the wagon, which also held a huge bag of "deer apples" given to us by our neighbor who owns an orchard that we frequent. Our goal was to have the girls dump the apples in the field along the tree line for the deer. After we did that, we headed up the driveway and then came home down through the woods. Going through the woods involves lots of stopping and checking under logs and a pile of brick pavers we have there for critters of any sort. This trip we found a worm and a bunch of irredescent green flies - under a flat brick paver. Hey, it doesn't take much to thrill the girls!  ;)  Here's the pics: enjoy!

We have a litte bench along the field's edge to watch for deer at dusk...these two are pretty "dear" to me!  :)

look at those apples flyin'!

love the look of concentration on her face. the wagon did get a little ahead of her on the downhill, be she kept it - and herself - under control

in the wagon, heading up the driveway

there she goes!

the woods are a natural playground...

successful climb to the top of the pile of pavers!

what big sister does...

...little sister tries (same tree)

and, heading back towards the house, E on her bike, Mags with her treasure, a big stick!

And now, I'm off to my driveway walk!

One Little Word Blog Hop | October Assignment

Welcome to my blog and the October assignment review for One Little Word. We're doin' a blog hop today! At the end of this post, you'll find lots of links - to our next hopper and to all hop participants.

If you've never heard of One Little Word before, I encourage you to check it out. This has been a very cool experience, very thought-provoking and, might I add, somewhat life changing! :) NOW is a great time to be thinking about which ONE word you'd like to focus on for 2012. I'm sure Ali Edwards, the creator of this phenomenon, will be posting about it in the next month or two on her blog and she has already announced that she will do another OLW class in 2012. Yay! I'm so there!  :)

My word for 2011 is FOCUS. So, now, on to this month's assignment:

First, we were to take 9 photos that would represent where we are right now (in October, 10 months in) wth our word. We could choose something literal or something more abstract. And then we were to take one photo (one of the 9 or a different one) and print it out in an 8.5 x 11 full-size format - and then write on it. I love doing that!

Here's what I did and, afterwards, my thoughts about it all. (click images to enlarge)

my layout

 

my photos

Okay, I only took seven photos. The hands/sun photo is stock, not mine, but I loved how it worked for the assignment. I discovered it while putting together a powerpoint song service for church. I took the rest, though.

 

This is a little list of ways to connect with God and some of my photos relate to the list. See how the background says "keep your focus on God"? I did that before my little epiphany which I'll write about in a sec.

 

this photo (also taken on our recent road trip) just speaks to me of God's glorious creation - the sky, the heavens, the universe and, here on earth

Around the edges of the photo, I wrote the first verse and part of the chorus of a song we sang in church this past Sunday (hubs and I lead the music... It's called May the Words of My Mouth, written by Rob Hill and Tim Hughes). Here's what that says:

May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart bless Your Name, bless Your Name, Jesus. And the deeds of the day, and the truth in my way, speak of You, speak of You, Jesus. For this is what I'm glad to do. It's time to live a life of love that pleases you.

Anyway, it really is the desire of my heart to return to God just an eeensy portion (at least!) of the love He has shown me by living a life that takes His love and shakes it up with the best of me and shines it on out there to the world. Well, to be honest, I fail miserably at that most of the time. Sigh. But I'm workin' on it! And, really, that's where I've realized my focus needs to be at this point. That's where it all needs to start.

And then.....

and then I started writing the stuff on the photo. And I had an "ah-ha" moment. (Thankfully, I did my writing on a blank sheet of paper first, or else I would have had to print several copies of that photo...) I only wrote an excerpt on the photo, but here are all of my thoughts:

I’m always going to have busy times and crazy days. I hope I'll always have goals and dreams and ideas swimming in my head. But I’ve come to realize this year that I can find real peace and joy when I just take some time each day to STOP and listen to God. Learn His ways. Walk in them. See His purpose for me each day and step into it. At day’s end I can be grateful for all He’s given me, for where He’s put me in this world and for all the people and circumstances He’s put in my path. When I take the time daily to hear Him and become aware of all of these things, I’m filled with purpose. Yeah, I’m learning...  It’s not that I need to focus on God more. Or on any project or dream or desire more. It’s that when I take the time (first) to fill myself daily with His knowledge and presence, I become focused on what He’s put in my path that day. HE is the source! I’m getting it. I’m getting it! Thank you, God, for Your endless patience with me!

Yeah. I'm going to be meditating on that for a while! :)  I wonder what the next two months will bring?

So, THANK YOU (and God bless ya!) if you've read this far!

And now I am SO pleased to point you to the next hopper, Debra Blakely, who has also become an online buddy of mine! She's smart, funny, an amazing poet and leads a very interesting life! Gooooo, Debra!

And here's the whole list of participants:

Margie  http://xnomads.typepad.com/

Julie Ann  http://julieannshahin2.blogspot.com

Lisa  http://backtoallen.com/writers_blog

Sam  http://learncreatedo.wordpress.com

Jenn  http://studiojenn.blogspot.com

Cheri  http://cheriandrews.blogspot.com

Jan  http://mysimplelittlelife.typepad.com  <----YOU ARE HERE!

Debra  http://blakleyhomeplace.blogspot.com  <----VISIT DEBRA NEXT!

Nikki  http://www.inkyart.com.au

Monica  http://questtoperfectimperfection.blogspot.com

Rebekah  http://istampscrapcraft.blogspot.com

Lynn  http://crafty-creativity.blogspot.com

Amanda  http://scrappnbee.blogspot.com

Jill  http://jillconyers.typepad.com/

Enjoy!

 

The Simple Things Sunday - 10-30-11

Snow! In Pennsylvania! In October! We had the girls overnight Friday and it started snowing Saturday morning as we sat around the dining room table coloring and "sticker-ing" and eating breakfast. It started off pretty sparse, but quickly turned to big, fluffy snow flakes and it wasn't long til the girls were hanging out the sliding door scooping snow off the deck and eating it. (Hey, I'm the grandma - we can do that!)

I think Maggie was especially amazed because, being that she's only two, I doubt that she really remembers the snow from last year. When Chris got home, he pulled out the boots he'd gotten for them last year - on sale, of course - and, they fit pretty well. So, out they went! If I could post their squeals of delight, I would! But I think Maggie's huge grin, above, says it all!

It looked pretty, but it can go away now and come back in about a month!

Happy Sunday...

Autumn | Hot Dog Roast | Art Journaling

I'm in denial. It can't possibly be the last week in October. Okay, I guess technically it really isn't because there's two lonely little days that are still officially in October next week. But still. I just can't grasp that it will soon be November and that C-word holiday will be upon us soon. Ugh.

So - let's change the subject! :)

Well, first of all (hmmm, maybe I'm not changing the subject so much...) I got an early C-word present. Chris got his already (his golf passes for 2012 which had to be purchased now, I guess). So I went ahead and ordered - and received - mine - a shiny new iPod 4th Generation WITH camera/hd video recorder. I am in LOVE! Hey, the C-word thing is for children, anyway - grown, grand and otherwise... And, yes, we have actually started our shopping. Well, obviously, huh? But, I'm sayin' NOT just for US! Geesh.

So, I'm having fun downloading photography apps and playing around with them. Here are my first few attempts:

that's Chris's punkin art

 

and that's at our season finale hot dog roast last night

The photos are a very small resolution, so I'm posting them smaller than usual. I'm just learning and playing. But I love that I can just post directly to fb or whatever. And the video is fun, too! Same deal with that - instant posting to fb or email or whatev's. Love!

It was a perfect autumn evening for our hot dog roast season finale last night, I must say. The kids had a ball. Chris prepared some brats in addition to the usual hot dog, chips and salsa and s'mores fare. Chris and I took the girls for a little wagon ride at one point - through the woods and then back down the driveway. It was my first kinda "bigger" walk and it felt not too bad!

I'd the fall color is about over now. There are a few nice trees here and there, but it was kind of "dull" this year. I guess it was all that rain. I took this photo (with my "big" camera) out on the deck the other day - mostly browns, as you can see...

But, it's still nice to look at. Even Beatrix loves to look out the window at the falling leaves...

But the apples this year. They have been FABulous! Especially the honeycrisp. We've got them coming out the ying yang! We eat them out of hand, of course, but I've made pie, Chris has canned applesauce and I'm juicing them left and right! This is the common scene on our counter top:

And, last but not least, I've just been having so much fun playing in my art room.Lately, I've been messing around with mixed media for my art journal. It's so much fun. I'm really just playing around with techniques and trying to find my own unique "style". Anything goes, of course, which I love. If you check out my art journal photo album here on my blog, you can see what I've done previously (prompt generated, mostly) and how it's getting a little loose-er, a little free-er.

Here's a little of what I've been working on lately:

Not to be too self-critical, but this isn't my favorite journal page in the world. I think it's because it lacks a focal point. That's okay. So noted. But the message is pretty obvious - a common theme for me!

 

I messed with this dang page for the longest time. Kept changing it, adding to it, covering up what I didn't like. And now I like it! It's all about the fears I was trying to grapple with before my surgery...

 

The next two are backgrounds that I've created for future journaling. And this is where I'm really having fun just playing and trying out different techniques.

I LOVE how this turned out! I was inspired by Dina Wakely and the images she often uses as masks on her pages. Here, I cut out the "girl" image from a magazine and then used spray inks/mists over it after putting down my initial (aqua blue) background. I heat embossed the "grass" and "leafy" images at the top and bottom and misted over them as well. The embossing resisted the sprays which gave a cool effect. I added paint, a piece of journaling card and a printed transparency on the right and then tied it all together with the sprayed chipboard swirl. Now I only need to add some journaling!

 

This is just the beginning of a new page. I just slapped down whatever was left over on my brush or palette. I'll add more layers and colors, no doubt. But this is what a base looks like.

I just finished a really amazing and inspiring online event called True Scrap this past weekend which just makes me even more anxious to get in there! It was Thursday-Saturday and there were about 15 or so different classes taught by incredibly talented teachers from the scrapbooking, photography and card-making (and beyond) worlds. There was a live chat going on throughout the event and there were even make and take videos. It was really, really awesome and I can't wait until the next event which will be next spring. You can get information at the link I gave ya!

So now I have a TON of new ideas swimming around in my head and even more desire to get in my scrap room.

Right now, though, I'm off to babysit Maggie. So I'll leave you with a funny recent picture of her enjoying her big sister's sneakers...  LOVE!  :)

Hip Replacement - the final installment | Juicing

Okay! Enough with the hip replacement, already. I'm so ready to move on. And I have. But I will share all the happy happy news from my ortho-doc appointment this past week. And then the hip saga will be over.

I went in to my dr. appointment with my little list of stuff I was asking if I could either STOP or START. And here's how it went down:

Surgical Stockings I hate these. I'm sick of them. They've been annoying in a variety of ways, but the worst is that every time I take them off, I must have Chris put them back on because I can't bend over to do it. And it's clearly NOT his favorite thing to do. It's a pain. AND - I don't have to wear them anymore! Woohoo! Believe me, those suckers came off in the car as soon as we got out of the dr.'s office! Ugh.

Protimes (Those are the weekly blood tests I've had to get because I'm taking coumadin.) Okay, I admit, at least these provided me with a reason to get out of the house once a week. But that's where the fun ends. I'm known in the world of blood takers as a "hard stick". Consequently I've come out of many labs at times feeling like a pin cushion. It's amazing how different people approach the challenge. Some are so cautious (worried) and gentle that you can't even feel the needle going in. But these are also the ones that blow veins. It's happened to me several times - twice in the hand in an attempt to get at a vein there. Ouch! The other approach is that there is no such thing as a "hard stick" and those people just jab the needle in without ceremony. They also blow veins occasionally, and they also tend to leave BIG black/blue marks. At any rate, I've come to realize that taking blood is really an art you must approach with confidence AND care. But I'm tired of getting stuck. And bruised.  I'm SO over all that. My last protime (and coumadin pill) will be this Monday. Yay!

The ice bags I was to put ice on my hip (leg) as often as I could take it. At first, I was even going to bed with the bag 'o ice (because that's what I did in the hospital) and I stopped that after I realized I was turning my whole SELF into an ice cube - and couldn't sleep. Geesh. But, poor Chris, was the one that had to be constantly putting together the ice bags. After a while they would get leaky, or I would be a popsicle, and I'd end up winging the things across the floor. Don't have to ice anymore - unless, of course, I'm having some swelling or pain. But I could also do heat if I wanted. That's good. 'Cause winter's coming! I no like the ice.

Hot tub? Well since the doc mentioned that I could actually use heat if I wanted, and since it was on my list anyway, I found this a great time to ask about being able to get in the hot tub. The lovely one that's sitting on my secluded-in-the-woods back deck. Oh, yeah. And - hallelujah - I can! Yippeee! Because we're coming into high hot tub season here... Cleaning it out is on Chris's "to-do" list, so now, if it will just quit raining! Um, before the snow flies! Yay for hot tubs!

Here's a big one:

Driving? I'm dying to drive again. I'm sure Chris is dying to have me driving again, too, since he's had to cart me around to wherever I've wanted to go. Okay, so it hasn't been that much because you don't want to go that many places when you're on crutches. But, hey, it's been 6 weeks and I wanna drive. Wah, wah. And guess what? I can drive again! Yippeeee! I've already been out a few times on my own. YAY!

Walking program? Yeah, so I had this whole big walking plan that I was all prepared to start, like, 10 minutes after I got home from my doc appointment. Hahahahahahahaha! Well, I kinda knew how that was going to go the morning of the appointment. Because I just couldn't wait any longer and I took a few steps at home. Uh, helllooooo? Reality check! I'm SO not going to be charging up and down the driveway any time soon! What was I thinking? All those muscles that have been sitting in there unused for 6 weeks? They're laughing at my stupidity, too. Hey, it's time to WAKE up, muscles. Alas, it ain't gonna happen overnight. But, the doc DID say to go ahead and walk as much as I can!

So, that was Wednesday and I hobbled on out of there. I grabbed my cane when I got home, because it just wasn't too easy. BUT, honestly, by the end of the day, I was doing much better. Enough to lose the cane if I was cautious. Still very hobbly, yes, but I could see that it was just going to be a process and I would just need to persevere.

That was Wednesday. Now, on Friday, the muscles are just getting stronger and stronger. Oh, I've quite a ways to go til I can even get out on the driveway to walk for 5 minutes up and 5 minutes back (a slow, but steady start), but I'm thinking that could be within a couple weeks. I KNOW it will get better and I'm going to start doing some ballet-like moves for strength and muscle control in the meantime.

Just being able to move around freely at home, doing stuff I haven't been able to do for 6 weeks, is so, so wonderful! I'm cleaning, re-decorating a little, re-organizing a bit, did I mention cleaning? and spending some GOOD time in my scrap room! Heaven!

And, finally,

The 90-degree angle thing. Well, that one isn't going to go away any time soon. I know it WILL get better because I was doing all sorts of bendy things (i.e. touching my palms to the ground in a good stretch, bending over my knee to tie my shoes, etc...) before my surgery with my other operated-on hip. But I DO have to just be very careful. At only 6 weeks in, the potential to dislocate that hip is still very great. Eventually, though, the metal will become one with the rest of me and I won't even remember it's in there anymore. But that's about a year down the road if I recall my recovery 11 years ago. In the meantime, I DO have to be careful about how I bend at the hip. Ah well. I'M JUST SO THANKFUL TO HAVE A NEW HIP! I can deal.  :)

In other news - I finally got the juicer I've been really, really wanting ever since I watched the excellent documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. You should watch that. Eye opening. I may or may not do a fast, but I do believe in the benefits of juicing and was dying to own a juicer.

Now, Chris makes smoothies. And I don't mind the taste of them so much, but I can't deal with the texture. I'm a NO pulp kinda girl, so I can't handle all the "stuff" in the smoothies. I DO believe they're probably healthier than just the juice, because you're getting the pulp and all as well as all the other stuff (protien powder, flaxseed, etc.) he puts in there, but, well, I wanted just juice. I still like the fact that with a juicer, you can put a whole lot of fruits/veggies in and get out a glass of goodness. Fresh goodness. I was hoping it would have the texture of nice, smooth, juice. Pulp free juice.

AND IT DOES!

Here are a couple examples of the beautiful results I've gotten so far:

This is 2 apples, a (big) carrot stick, and a big stalk of celery Mmmmmm so sweet and yummy. I was surprised at how good it was! Pleasantly surprised!

 

This is 5 roma tomatoes, a about 1/2 cup of packed parsley (fresh from my container garden), a beet, 2 (big) carrots and a celery stalk. Oh, and about 2 tsp. of tamari soy sauce (for saltiness)

Now, who would ever sit down and EAT all that in one sitting. Yet, I could sit here and drink this deeeelicious nectar of the gods in just one glass. (Well, there is about half a glass left in the fridge...)

The thing about this juice is that, WOW, you can taste every single thing that's in there. And it's so so yummy! It's so FRESH. It's a revelation - that stuff you get in the store? It's NOT juice!!! There's just no comparison.

So, if I only end up just drinking a glass of some yummy concoction every day, I figure that's just one more step up the healthy ladder.  :)

With that, I think I'll go finish off that last half glass! I can even walk over to the fridge, pour it and then carry it back to my desk all by myself! Sometimes it takes NOT being able to do stuff like that for 6 weeks to really appreciate what a simple joy that is.