Pushin' it

Well folks we literally came back and jumped right in.
But some how I managed to act like I was on vacation even though we weren't.
I didn't work out. I haven't worked out for 2 weeks.
Today was the day to get my hiney back in gear. I went on Jillian last night and upped
my entire workout. I didn't feel like I was getting enough of a workout. I have been doing her workouts from the end of December {well off and on anyway} and felt like now was the time to up everything on hard and go from there. It isn't so much as how long I'm working out, but hard much of a workout I can get in the 30 minute time frame. I finished and came and sat down on here to type. I am already sore! LOL. But sore is a good thing.

I also just found out that my gram is back in the hospital. For the very same thing. My brother thinks it was because she wasn't doing her breathing treatments and still smoking.

Bless her heart. She is with my aunt and her family in TN. If you wouldn't mind keeping her in your prayers I would appreciate it a lot. {And yeah that's a really old photo of me and my gram, but I like it}.

A&I went girlie shopping today. We had a good time, with the exception I had to speak to her about her attitude. I ain't gonna lie.. The girl gives the tude so much now and it's over the most stupid stuff... We were shopping for me. I need to find business causal clothes. I have a class that I have to take the 6th for work and we're not allowed to wear jeans. So that meant I needed to go shopping because jeans are all I own. Unless of course we're talking really dressy and well I am not about to sit in dressy all day long. The class is over 8 hours. ICK. So we head to my favorite store of course, Penny's! Let me just share that A's attitude stemmed from that fact that she couldn't look through the clothing I was trying on to see how it actually looked on me. She was stuck with the fact that she'd never wear it herself. So because of that, she wasn't "into" what I was trying on. She was into dresses that she might like. And the funniest part? I tried on this outfit in one sitting room and we agreed on it, only to go into another sitting room to try on something else and she then tells me she doesn't like the outfit we thought looked okay!! LOL. And seriously... I had to lecture her right then and there. SIGH. That it wasn't about her, it was about me finding something business casual for work and my class. That even if she would never ever wear it, I needed her to give me her honest opinion on how it looked on me as well as helping me find something. But she was self absorbed, which is normal for an almost 13 year old. I get that. But she wasn't helping and I wasn't leaving the store without something. It took a bit for her to realize where I was coming from and for it to sink it, but it did. And then I had to drop the hint and smartness that any time I go shopping and we go together that if she could just step outside of herself and be helpful that 9 times outta 10, she'd score something too. So she stepped in and was really helpful.

Bless her heart, even if she didn't like it she tried to look through it and see it for being on me! LOL. Thankfully, I did find something. A lot of something's! And of course so did she! All in all it was a fun day! I like being with Alyssa and I believe she likes being with me! Here is what we scored. There was another shirt, but I cannot find that one online and the grey one with the flowers I got before we left for Disney but I wanted to show that too! The last two dresses are the one's A got {for her birthday}. The white dress is something I just picked up! But I did get the outfit I'll wear for the class, which is nice. So as we stood in the dressing room while I was lecturing Alyssa, I said a silent prayer for the Lord to work in this area of A's life, the attitudeness one...

Then we came home and D, A, & myself went to the movies to see this.

Can I just say that this was one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Yeah, I know it's a kid movie but I LOVED it!!! I simply loved everything about it from the characters to the plot. I thought it was a fantastic movie! If you haven't seen it, you should. It's that good! I loved it! Did I mention that yet? LOL. We didn't see it in 3-D which was nice. I am not impressed with a lot of 3-D movies out there these days.

After the movie we came home and walked the dogs. It was rather chilly out, but we are committed to walking them daily since our new find! They were chilly too so we didn't walk as far. But it sure is nice to walk our dogs and have it be a "normal" walk! LOL.

This week I have to work the early AM shift. I am excited about getting off at 12 daily, but could you pray for me? I don't normally sleep well when I have to work the early AM shift. I would appreciate that a lot.

Okay so I'm off to do chores and then hang with the fam before we all hit the hay!
Enjoy your family and ensure that you not only tell them that you love them, but you show them too!


Feeling lucky yet again!

Here is the next installment of the really great
March kit from Simply Obsessed!!

Supplies used:
Little Yellow Bicycle Decorative Edge cardstock, Bazzill cardstock, Little Yellow Bicycle Lucky Me Denim Lucky Me jewel stickers, Little Yellow Bicycle Lucky Me Denim Lucky Me Stripe papers, Offray ribbon, JilliBean buttons, Fiskars punch, CM corner rounder, Little Yellow Bicycle Lucky Me chipboard stickers, Little Yellow Bicycle Lucky Me Denim Lucky Me Blue Geometric papers


Supplies used:
Bazzill cardstock, CM corner rounder, Offray ribbon, JilliBean buttons, Little Yellow Bicycle Lucky Me cardstock stickers, Little Yellow Bicycle Lucky Me Denim Dots papers, Pop dots, Little Yellow Bicycle Lucky Me Rub-ons, Computer font Gaudy Old Style

Hope your having a really great day!


Time off.

We came home on Monday and I didn't have to go back to work until today.
Which was a very nice thing indeed.
I spent my time relaxing, grocery shopping, taking A to youth group, sitting in my pj's all day, purging, cleaning, and reorganizing my scrap space, working on 2 AC projects, sending emails, laundry, hangin' w D, taking the dogs for walks, and napping!
I'd say it was a great way to end my vacation!!!

I wanted to share something with you. It might not be new, but its new to us. First let me give you a little back story.
We don't normally walk Jake and Kira. Our experiences have been horrible, overwhelming, hurtful, and obnoxious too. Jake even dragged me one time {literally dragged me down the grass, I had grass stains!}, and I vowed never to walk them again. When we got back to the states and moved into a neighborhood, we decided to try it out. Dayv would normally take Jake later in the evening so he didn't see other dogs {he doesn't do well around them} and I'd take Kira. Jake would pull like a pack mull, and Kira would foam at the mouth from being overly excited. We have tried off and on, but never successfully. And we have tried all sorts of leashes, collars, aides, and training too. As of late they have been a lot better about walking. I don't ever take them both by myself because if Jake gets into a tizzy there isn't much I can do and he'll just get away. The other day when we were walking them we took them to this field and took their leashes off. They both just trotted around and D&I decided that maybe we'd try a harness again on them since both of them act like they are going to die while walking. We went to Petco and looked at a bunch of them and actually settled on one that was the cheapest and seemed like a good thing too. The company boasted that it would actually help you walk your dog. Hmmp. Right...
So yesterday we took the dogs out, put this harnesses on, and off we went. Who the heck knew that this harness is truly a miracle!! Both of them walked better, they didn't pull, and it was the easiest I think its ever been to walk them. I could even walk them both by myself. And it makes taking them for walks a lot more fun and makes it so we'd actually want to do it more often too!
The company is Yuppie Puppy.
Here is what the harness looks like
You can imagine our delight at this wonderful creation! If we only knew years ago we could of been walking them all the time! A-MAZING product to say the least!
Interestingly enough Jake will see another dog and not freak out as bad either these days! I wonder if its age or him just being so happy to be outside!!! Of course this has nothing to do with the harness, it is just something I noticed about him. He might stop and act like he's going to do something but its normally Kira that gets herself worked up over another dog now!!! Too funny.

Grateful list:

1. That we got home safely from our trip.
2. Walking into our home after being gone for a week was like WOW! This is our house! It was all fresh and beautiful.
3. For God answering prayers and then not answering other ones. He has something else planned and I can't wait!
4. Yellow. Because it makes me smile!
5. Being organized because it helps me function.
6. Music you can move too!
7. Eating good food because it truly does make you feel better.
8. Knowing that even though I don't see my friends all the time, that they are there.
9. Because this photo makes me laugh! He just looked so comfy sitting there waiting for the plane to Disney!
10. My lack of patience in a lot of things. Even though that isn't something to be grateful for, it is. Because I am learning. It is a process and I realize that stuff I get impatient about is really trivial and stupid. So working on the whole patience thing is a good thing. When I lack it, Christ gives it..

I hope your day is filled with sunshine and daisies!







Disney aftermath!!!

We're back!!
What an adventure chalked full of tons of fun!!!

Thought I'd give a little trip overview...
Day 1: Traveled.
Day2: We spent this day in the Magic Kingdom. We went to a character breakfast with Winnie The Pooh and friends! We also met up with some friends from England that night.
Day 3: We spent our day in Animal Kingdom and Epcot. That night we went to dinner with my brother, his wife and some other good friends {and for the first time the Carney family ate at a Rain Forest Cafe, which totally rocked the environment!}.
Day 4: Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom {late night hours} We ate at Cinderella's castle for a wonderful feast!
Day 5: We park hopped all over. Watched the electro-light parade {no it's not called that anymore but that's what I know it by, I didn't get a single photo. D forgot the camera!!!!}.
Day 6: Traveled.






Of course I have some funny random stuff I'll be sharing from time to time as well. It wouldn't have been our vacation without those kinds of moments ya know! Please know I am not complaining, just sharing. Our trip was A-MAZING don't get me wrong!!
Disney was magical. Traveling wasn't too bad but by the last plane going there we were done. We literally got the hotel and Alyssa wanted to go swimming. Might I add we had one really warm day and the rest were chilly, and we even had a monsoon!!! I kid you not.

Just some things to start off the randomness of our trip...

We will bring a bag to carry extra stuff next time.
We will also bring the rain ponchos that we paid 7.50 for a piece because of said monsoon so that we don't have to shell out that kind of money again.
We will remember when it actually says partly cloudy a chance of rain and when said monsoon hits to carry extra socks. Because wet feet are miserable. And buying socks for 27 bucks for all of us, sucks.
Also eat in The Land {In the Seasons place to eat} and get the veggie pocket sandwich thingy. I had it 2 days and it rocked, I mean ROCKED both days. It was that yummy. Don't eat at Good Eats in Animal Kingdom. It was our worst and only icky meal.





Even though Animal Kingdom was cool to go too since we had never been, we'll never go again. It's a glorified zoo and well we can do that anywhere these days. We could have saved ourselves some money. Honestly the only thing worth the trip was The Bug's Life 3-D adventure thingy {that was TOTALLY cool} and the Dinosaur ride.
Don't plan a character meal during the extra open hours for resort guests because you don't get to take advantage of the extra open hours.
Bless Dayv's heart... But always remember to check camera settings and not assume that they are right. Dayv had it on manual for a really long time and a lot of our pictures didn't turn out very well. For that kind of setting, auto is best so I don't have to fool around with it. I noticed it eventually... Sigh.
And one more thing.. Alyssa wore make-up to the castle dinner. We've been talking about it and I wanted to show her the correct way to wear it, not only was the night special for her she said that she felt beautiful! Now I know it's inner beauty, but let me tell ya after we put it on together she was even more beautiful!!!! YIKES...






And one more thing for today.... Always and I mean always check your flight times because even though we got home at 12pm and had a lot of our day left we had to get up and be out of the hotel by 3:15am. Pure stupidity on my part!!! All I saw was the return time not even thinking about waking up...
Okay that's it for today on that part!






And that is an overview in pictures of our trip! You can better believe there will be a mini album as well as tons of layouts from the 1300+ photos that we took!!!
What a wonderful trip and great memories.

We're glad to be back home though.. D has off until the 27th and I have off until the 25th! A goes back to school tomorrow and well its back to reality for us all isn't it!

I hope that you make memories with your family like we did, no matter where you go or what you do because they last a life time!

Happy Day everyone!

We're off!

We're leaving on a

and headed here...

Please pray for our trip, safety, and the fun we'll have!
Take care and we'll see ya when we return!
Much love,


Monday Monday.

I am grateful:

1. Working in early AM shift and getting off at 12.
2. Dayv coming home safely. Thank you for those prayers!
3. Being able to communicate. Because when others don't get where you're coming from you have the chance to share so that they get it.
4. When Alyssa gives me hugs when I need them the most. This week I needed them a lot.
5. The best grilled cheese sandwich I ever made.
6. Working with Celeste.
7. Days off to just sit in pj's and scrap the day away.
8. Finally communicating with Alyssa about the most simplest of things.
9. Pulling together as a family.
10. Scriptures that really touch my heart.
11. Prayers for my gram.
12. Shopping with and for Alyssa and her telling me that she felt completely special. Seeing her actually love clothes and spread her wings Saturday really warmed my heart!
13. Driving around Spokane.
14. The sunshine.
15. Thinking about our trip...
16. Hockey games.
17. Being in church and feeling the Lord's presence. I love that.
18. The fact that I can be anywhere, at anytime and talk with my God. I think that's neat.

Well folks we are finally here! Well almost here..


Can you hardly believe it? Because that is where we're at.
And this might not be big for anyone else. But for us, its HUGE!
The reservations are solid.
The bags are packed.
The camera's are ready.
The Carney's are so. ready. to. go...
Only we've got 2 days!!! But that's okay.
We're just praying they go by super-d-duper faster than
lightening!

Last week I just sat and created.
This in fact...

It's just a sneaky of what I worked so
very hard on. And I am happy to
say that I am totally in love with it!
And pretty soon, it will go on sale!
Be on the lookout for it soon!
How exciting! At least I'm stoked about it!!

Gram got out of the hospital on Sunday. She is staying with her sister until
my aunt can come and get her. Please just continue to pray for her and the
entire situation. She was in great spirits when I spoke with her on Sunday.

I also wanted to share another sneak on the blog.

Go and check it out because I've got a layout on there. Along with some of the other girls. It was a really great challenge, I LOVED it! I feel so honored to be a part of this team, its amazing!

Well folks my Monday is starting and I must be going! Hope your Monday goes by as fast as mine is hopefully going to go!!!

The conference.

The other day we went to A's student led conference. It's where we met with one of her teachers and she led the conference. She did an excellent job if I do say so myself! She is exceeding every dream and expectation that I prayed for her for school. It warms my heart to know that she has a different start. A different path. A different plan than either Dayv or I had. We both, admittedly so weren't the best students. So to see Alyssa flourish truly tickles me. Seriously.

After she finished, her teacher said a few things. Well those things might have been few, but they were deep and heart warming all rolled into one. You could tell that he loved having Alyssa in class. That he could see leadership, faith, good morals and values, and spunk. He said something that struck a cord with me. He hasn't been on the only to of said this to me while on her schooling journey. Sure as a parent you think, yeah.. That's my girl. But he said she is going to do well and go far. She is determined. He has no doubts she will not be used somewhere grand. I sat there thinking more about that, wondering what the Lord had in store for this blessing of a girl. I don't know. Seriously. I haven't a clue where her path may go or where it may lead too. But I do know that God has her hand and will lead her no matter what.

He also said something else that I wished someone had said to me. He said grades were important. School was too. But it was what was inside and the stirring of one's heart that meant what life was truly about. Life is important. I smiled thinking to myself ah! someone that understands what I've always felt. Of course I think school is important. But I still cannot help when I stand before my God that he will say, good and faithful servant, you went to school and went far in it. Nope. He isn't going to care about my degree or lack there of. Life to me is more important than that. But.. if I had applied myself more so in school, I could have went further and done great things that way too. So I am not knocking school. School is good.

And then he said something that made me wanted to throw my head back, roar with laughter, and do it out loud... Alyssa loves to write, she is always writing something. Stories. Poems. Plays. Something. He said pointing to one of her grades that writing is hard for her. Interestingly enough. It is always those things that which we love the most cause us to struggle the hardest, I think. He said something then that made me want to laugh and cry in the same moment. Oh, not because it was moving but because I saw a tiny glimpse of myself in Alyssa. She does not change from subject to subject with flow. Meaning she writes a wonderful story and then abruptly changes it without flowing from one subject or paragraph to another. And my mouth turned up into a smile and realized that I too, have that same issue. I do it on here. It is one of the things that I cannot stand about myself. Oh. I don't loath it enough to sit and stew and brew over it. But sometimes after I write something on here, I re-read it and think to myself it sounds as natural as the thoughts in my head. And then I go to another blog and read it and get sucked up into them. Their writing. Their story. And it's more than their story. It's how it flows, no matter what they are sharing. And well.? That doesn't happen with me. And interestingly enough it doesn't happen with A either. I don't even truly mind my bad grammatical errors that I do, but I'd sure like to flow from subject to subject instead of jumping from one to another. And then I sigh because in truth, that is how my mind works. It is how I think. I am thinking of a million things all rolled into oe all the time. And it jumps from something to something in a matter of 5.5 seconds.

So I think had I paid a little more attention to literature, English, or anything that coulda helped with that, then I too might write with flow. But... I didn't really pay attention much in school. I did what I liked and if I didn't like it then it didn't work for me. Band. That was what school was all about. Sigh. Band was great, don't get me wrong. It was my saving grace for school and captured my heart like no other. But if I had pushed myself a little further to do the stuff I didn't really like to do, I might just flow better. LOL.

My prayer is that A push through everything in life with grace and flare even in the subjects she loves but struggles with. Because no parent was ever prouder of their child through this conference. Alyssa you are an amazing girl and I am proud to be your mom. Thank you for blessing me and teaching me to learn!

Journaling 3.6.10
Photos taken on our walk 3.6.10


Happy day everyone!

Nikki Sivils new stuff!

Hey there! It's almost Friday.. I love Friday's. Although its a hard one because D is now on leave until the 27th so it makes it hard to go into work when I know he's at home! We have a busy weekend this weekend! Saturday we've got a class, Sunday we have church and a hockey game!!! This time I hope to take photos!

So... I recently did a couple of layouts using the new Nikki Sivils collections Willow Bee, Flaming Butterfly, and Bella Blue and Oscar Too!



I just love scrapping with Nikki's products! You can mix and match and create projects using any collection she has for any subject!!

*Update on my gram. She is still in the hospital but I spoke with her today and she was 100% better on the phone! Praise God! My brother said they would probably keep her in there for the weekend. Please continue praying for her I truly do appreciate it very much. Those prayers touch my heart and my gram too!

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