I got a new doggie.. Introducing Matteo!!

Last week, my husband brought home a beautiful dog from the shelter. He is a 2 year old Bullboxer. Part bulldog, part boxer. He is adorable. I wasn't crazy about his name, it was Lewis. So I changed it to Matteo. It totally fits him. We are just in love with him. He is our second dog. Our first dog Midnight is 3 years old Black Lab. He is just the most precious dog you would ever meet. He is such a mush. Luckly, Matteo is the same way. My husband and Matteo
Matteo instantly was attached to us. My husband seems to be his favorite person in the house. We are all okay with that because we still have Midnight. I never knew that I could love another dog like I love my Midnight, but like children you just make your heart bigger. God led my husband to the shelter and Matteo was meant to be ours. I am so thankful.

Amazing, I did it.

So this past weekend, my son's Cub Scout Den went on a hike. I joined them. It was my very first hike. I was so nervous due to the fact that I am out of shape and have a bad knee. Everyone, I must tell you, it was hard but so satisfying. We hiked for 4 hours and a total of 5.2 miles. Yup, 5.2 miles. Half of the hike was up a mountain that just so happens to be on the side of my house. I always look at the mountain too and wonder how you would get up there, well now I know. We hiked all the way to the top and then came back down. I truly believe the down part of the hike was the hardest and scariest. It was very rocky coming down and some part where so steep. I must admit though that it was worth it. The mountain has many secrets that you do not see from just looking up at the mountain. A small section was part of a stagecoach trail, we hiked along a stream that brought water to 3 old reseviors, the water was so clear and cold. We went through a part that seemed like the jungle. I could go on and on. I can't wait to go hiking again. I felt so energized at the end. My body felt great. I just thought that I would share my experience with you all.

Lovin this Sunday

Well, today I must say is going great. I woke up this morning cheerfully, in my newly painted room that was painted a beautiful shade of yellow. The yellow makes my room so much brighter and also makes it look so much bigger too. I still have more work to do before my bedroom is done but so far so good. On most Sunday's I hear the grunts of my family not wanting to go to chruch or to Sunday school. Not this morning!!! Everyone got up and not one complaint. We went to church as a family together. It has been a couple of months since we have all gone together. I was so pleased. My son Sean, who is 8 years old usually becomes antsy and cannot last through the entire service without becoming annoying but not today. God was shining down on my family today. You could give me a bag full of money but I would not be as happy as I was this morning with my family in church. Some might find that crazy but I really do enjoy the simple things in life and I am thankful for them. The one thing I wanted to do today, I have decided not to do. My town has a St. Patricks day parade every year. I have not attended this parade since I have moved to Pa. I had planned on going with my family this year being that it is such a beautiful day out and I like to be out with my community but due to a few foolish people I have choosen to keep my family home. To many people feel that they can get drunk at the bars and come out and act like total asses. The parade is at 1pm in the afternoon. How are these people drunk this early in the afternoon? I'm still drinking coffee. So due to the behavior of these people I feel it is safer to keep my family home. I do feel bad for the business owners that put the parade on. With the economy being the way it is I'm sure that contributing to the parade is not easy and with drunk people running around ruining the parade for the people that are there to enjoy it must be very frustrating for them.
Well, enough on the parade. I will not let that damper my day. I have decided that my family and I will just relax and enjoy ourselves today. No cleaning and running around. I didn't hear any complaints from my family so I am going down to my basement to my craft area and I'm going to sew today. I might even sneak in a card or two.
Have a great day today.

So I have been busy..

I'm saddened that I don't get to blog as much as the bloggers I love to read. I recently had surgery to have my gallbladder removed. The surgery went great and I'm pretty much healed and feeling great. I also have been behind in my studies due to the surgery. I am caught up and happy to say that I am also on Spring Break this week. I would love to say that I am down in my crafting area crafting my little heart away but I'm not. Instead of crafting I am painting my bedroom and my living room this week. I also have to spring clean this house. Gladly, the garage was done this weekend with the help of my family. It was bad!!!

Crafting News
Onto crafting news... my sister is preggers and is due in July. She is having a baby boy. We think his name will be Jake. So I have been thinking of different things to make for the baby's room and for her baby shower. Her baby shower theme will be Nursery Rhymes. I am finding it really hard to find anything with the nursery rhyme theme. If anyone knows of a website that they can lead me too for ideas I would greatly appreicate it.

New Releases of Stamps
So lately I have seen a lot of new releases of stamp sets and such from all different companies. As much as I like some of the designs I must say that I am not totally impressed with most. I feel the images are to cartoonish and look like coloring book images. I don't like that these companies are making such crappy stamps and charging a fortune for them. I won't name names because I don't want to bash companies. I understand that they have to come up with new designs to keep up with other companies but why crap? Some images look like they are drawn by a 5 year old. So yes, since I don't like them I will not buy them. Enough of that.

Well, I'm hoping this week to get in on some challenges. I'll post what I do if I find time.

Thanks for reading!

The Calm before the Storm~ sort of to me.

Well this past weekend I was able to sit down and make a layout and complete a card challenge. Wow, I must say. I first started off making a layout of my hubby and I with our wonderful son Sean. We call him "Mad Bubs". Since we vie for his love so much I decided to do this layout to show him that we love him so much. He tells us that we are both #1. It was really a simple and fast layout. Nothing to fancy. I used chip board and stickles (of course). I simply matted the photos and added some journaling. I think it came out cute. Hope you enjoy it.

My second project was a card challenge offered up in the Stampingbella forum on SCS. Sadfully, I didn't get to post it on time. I'll try to do the next one. I used the TeddyBella image that I got from a swap. My sister is preggers so she is going to get this card from me on her shower, mind you it won't be until July. I love how colorful this card is. I used stickes again of course. I love stickles. Everything just looks so much better with a bit of glitter.

So I'm sure your wondering what I meant by the phrase, "The calm before the storm." Well, this weekend it was very calm and peaceful at my home and having that opportunity I took advantage of it by scrappin and making a card. I organized my craft space too. As of today though, my week is doing a 180. I went to school this morning and this afternoon too. Both classes were my Biology classes. Well, lets just say, I'm going to be praying that I could play with my stamps and paper. I have less then 2 weeks to get to know all 206 bones in the body and where they are located. Now just imagine me pulling my hair out. This will be no easy task. To top that all off. I will be going into surgery to have my gallbladder removed on Monday. I am praying that I will be able to make it to class on Tuesday. I just feel missing any material is a bad thing to do right now. So wish me luck that somehow I can get through it all in the next 2 weeks.

I should be studying..

So today I should be studying but my friend Brandi has a birthday coming up next week and it has been on my mind that I had not made her a birthday card. Yes, I could have just sent her one from my stash but it would not have been what I want to send her. For Christmas I got Lottie and Gussie Gabalot from stampingbella.com. I just love these girls. They are cute. I used an embossed Happy Birthday cardstock that I recieved in a RAK and the Lottie and Gussie image. Inside I used a sentiment from stampinup.com. I colored in the image with my Bic markers and used a copic for skin color. I had to add some stickle glitter because without glitter it just wouldn't be a card to me. And of course I added ribbon. I love ribbon and seem to have to add ribbon to every project I do. Well, I can't wait to get the opportunity to make a card again.

Oh and for all that don't know, you must go to http://www.stampingbella.com/. They had a new release and I'm lovin it. I can't wait for payday. Have a wonderful week!!

I haven't fogot about my blog, I have just been a little busy. I found out on Monday that my gallbladder has to be taken out. Mine has decided it doesn't want to work anymore. Oh well. I am meeting with the surgeon tomorrow to set a date. I have also been very busy with school. I feel guilty going down and creating when I know that I should be studying, so school always wins. I will though have to make some cards this weekend for V-day for the kids and my honey. I really enjoy looking at everyone's blogs and try to check on them daily. Today I would love if you all would go over and read a blog from a women that creates beautiful art, the shabby chic way but her post for Feb 3, is inspirational. Please go to her blog. http://shabbyscraps.typepad.com/shabbyscraps/. Thank you all so much. Well, off to study.