All Choked Up...

...over the relocation of this priceless photo (and many others) that have been missed since 2002! I had been mourning the loss of these pictures for YEARS! Ask any family member-they know how I am about my photos!

A HUGE thank you to my DH and my dear BIL who made it all possible by spending countless hours trying to retrieve these pics off our ancient home computer. Love you guys!

If you Like to Crochet...

...check out Danielle Thompson's blog for November 28. She has posted some super cute pics of holiday crocheted projects-including an A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E gingerbread house. Definitely makes me want to better my skillz with the ole hook!

Thanksgiving Blessings

Today, I'm thankful for:

• my loving and forgiving God
• my freedom and those who have fought for it and continue to fight for it
• my health
• a house full of family, food on the table and a roof over our head

Slice, Slice Baby!

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Yep, that's right...I finally (thanks to a little enabling from my DF Lexi) purchased a new (Old color blue) Slice machine today. And I got 2 design cards Just Chillin and New Vintage Findings to boot! Only bummer...I missed out on the Fa la la card. Sigh.

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Quote of the day

Ian was just looking over my shoulder at Ali Edward's blog. He was looking at her DD and then at my DD. He said, "What makes hers any better than yours Momma?" I explained to him that she is a world reknown scrapbooking artist. To which he replied,

"Well, you are like an Undercover Pioneer Woman."

I'll take that compliment and run with it any day of the week, month or year! (Love this little man).

So very grateful today...

...because we finally may have a remedy for Ian's lifelong stomach problems. We just got back from our (insert wonderful) chiropractor today. He adjusted Ian and already he is a totally different kid. He was beaming on the way home he felt so much better. He said he didn't know that his back and neck were so stiff until they were loosened up. He didn't know that wasn't "normal." He actually was twirling when he got into the kitchen area. I only wish we had tried this medical route years ago...SIGH.

Today's Gratitude

...few days behind b/c out of town-celebrating a dear friend's 30th birthday.

So...to catch up...

Grateful for Lexi, Paula, Barb, (who couldn't be with us this time-dag gum it) and Julie, whose friendship and understanding are a true gift from God

Grateful for the opportunity to get a much needed reprieve from motherhood and domesticated duties before a whirlwind of holiday gatherings

Extremely grateful and surprised to come home to a sparkling kitchen remodel! (Seriously, no remodel done but an extremely well done deep cleaning of cabinets, countertops and refrigerator/freezer). God bless you Blue-Eyed Boyz-you made my day! It was so wonderful to come home to this surprise as I had a whopper of a sinus/allergy headache that was ravaging itself on my grey matter-to the point of nausea.

Hopefully, tomorrow I'll have a few pics from my weekend fun. We'll see how the day goes...

Today's Gratitude

Today I am grateful that I got a chance to play tennis outdoors-just one more time-until spring!

Ok...I just had to..

...post this video from when the boys were wee lil ones!

Gratitude November 18

Today I am grateful for all of the memories shared with my dear "Gramser" who, if still living, would be 98 years old today.

I am grateful for:

• summers spent with her and Grandpa in Washington
• Christmas vacation spent with her and Gpa in Florida @ Sun-N-Fun
• Norman Rockwell Thanksgivings where she made a beautiful multi-course meal beginning with with nut cups and mints before the big feast and ending with delicious pumpkin and pecan pies for dessert. (She really could've competed with Martha-and won!)
• being treated out to Hardee's breakfast biscuits complete with the "Good Morning Egg" sticker
• countless games of Scrabble played on her coffee table, kitchen breakfast bar, dining room table, trailer in Florida...
• the lessons she gave me on being a "lady"; etiquette, manners and how to conduct oneself
• the importance of writing thank you notes
• trips to Peoria shopping at the mall and grabbing a slice of coconut cream pie at the end of our excursion
• cheese hot dog and chocolate milk lunches consumed in her sunny kitchen while the "Noon Siren" sounded
• the smell of Chanel No.5 and how whenever I smell it-I immediately have fond memories of her
• her patience in teaching me how to play Scrabble-I started very young 4-5 with 2 and 3 letter words. Gma never minded (as long as I made sure to leave a place to play the "q"!) As I got older and better, I started beating Grandma. She didn't like to lose but I sensed some pride in her for teaching me to play the game so well.
• grateful for sharing the game of golf with her and the love of crossword puzzles and reading
• all the times she took me to the community pool, park and putt-putt course
• trips to Ben Franklin for a treat or two
• that we share birthdays that are only a few days (and of course decades) apart
• her knowledge and love of all things Audubon; she was always watching and listening to the birds (She especially loved owls!)
• the unspoken special, unique bond that we shared; I always had the patience for Grandma's shortcomings that drove others in the family bonkers, and she, well..she always had the patience for me!
• years of sending "Good Morning Egg" love notes to each other through the mail
• all of the times I would scramble to find a hiding spot for the "Good Morning Egg" note before I left for home; trying not to let her see where I'd hidden it in hopes that she wouldn't find it before I eft for home. Smirking to myself with pride as mom or dad backed down the driveway from her house, thinking "this time I really found a great spot!" It was always a fantastic challenge for me to try to pull it all off. I know she enjoyed the "thrill of the hunt too." When she'd come to visit us, I'd try to sneak the note into her purse, coat pocket or suitcase before they departed for home.
• her Happy Hour, out-of-this-world-DEE-lish-lick the last morsel out of the dish good, "Etta dip that she made accompanied by Pringles and Fritos
• letting me watch Wimbledon in the back bedroom for hours-b/c she knew how much I loved the game
• watching Jeopardy and "The Wheel" together and racing each other to the answers!

• So many awesome memories I have of my Grams-too many to count here-and for that I'm really grateful! Thanks for the memories Grams. Miss you so much. Happy Birthday! :)

Today's gratitude

Today I am thankful for the friendship I have with Lexi. Our paths crossed due to a mutual friend and a shared love of scrapbooking, photography, family and faith. I got to spend a wee bit of time with Lexi today. She is radiant, inspiring, witty, talented, intelligent and beautiful (inside and out). She is a true blue friend (despite her love of the color orange) and I am really grateful to know her and to have her in my life.

Ms. Lexi is celebrating her Big 3-0 this weekend. If you want, head on over to her blog, see a little bit of her creative genius, and wish her a happy birthday! :)

Merry Making on it's way soon!

I just preordered this for my December Daily album. Chock full of goodness and all things vintagy-I can't wait to play with this scrapping yumminess! ( I hope it gets here soon!)

Today's gratitude

For rainy days where I can stay inside, sip a hot chocolate and read a great book, like this one:Ian and I are taking turns reading it on my Kindle. It's still great the second time around!

Today's gratitude

Today I am thankful for 41 years of life on earth. I feel really blessed to have lived most of these 41 years healthfully and having learned something new nearly every day of my life. I also feel extremely blessed for all of the trials and tribulations in my life. God has used each of these to make me a stronger, better servant of Him. I am thankful that, despite my shortcomings, He still is with me and never leaves me. His love endures forever--and I thank Him for that. I thank Him for surrounding me with family and friends, who support me and accept me as I am and yet challenge me to always be the best I can be.

• Thankful for the love and support of friends and family and would especially like to note my gratitude to two awesome human beings God placed in my life as part of my family; my Aunt Norma and Uncle Dick. They celebrate 50 years of loving and living today and are true followers of Christ, in their thoughts, words and actions.

Happy 50th anniversary Aunt Norma and Uncle Dick! You DA BEST!

Project Life

...go here to find out the latest. Totally doable. And I'll be doing it. Will you?

Today's Gratitude

Happy for the sunshine that allowed me to play my favorite sport-tennis. Grateful that my DH got a babysitter so that we could double date with my cousin and her hubby in celebration for someone's bd tomorrow. Thankful that my two puppers got baths and that my BEBz are playing nicely with one another. Harmony. Gotta love that.

Do you get excited when...

...you have someone recognize your creativity? I sure do!! I was thrilled to see this comment posted beneath the cover of my Dec. Daily Album. Thanks for making my Friday the 13th Ali!

Today's Gratitude

Today I am thankful for my Poppa Bear. He's been here visiting with us for the past few days and it has been so good having him around. We've been talking about "Then and Now" and "Yesterday and Today." Totally in serendipitous alignment with my online class I'm taking at Big Picture Scrapbooking with Ali Edwards.

This morning, Ian, dad and myself worked on our life timelines. Interesting to see the significant events of our lives condensed down onto one small sheet of white cardstock. Interesting to see the historical events that have occurred and how each of us has varied memories of these events (or no memory at all! -LOL). I have totally enjoyed reminiscing with my dad about his childhood memories and have been doing my best to document them while he's here. I periodically will send him an email and ask him a question or two about his life. A little homework assignment, if you will, for my Poppa Bear. I always enjoy his replies and have printed them out to add to the family memory book I am compiling.

This weekend my Aunt Norma and Uncle Dick (AN is in the lavender shirt at the back of the table and UD is to her right) are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. I love these two individuals immensely. To me, they represent so many great qualities human beings should have: warmth, compassion, devout love of the Lord, strength and courage (to overcome many losses of loved ones in their lives), integrity, hard work ethics and a good ole dose of good humor to boot. I wish them a beautiful day on Sunday, surrounded by family and friends, fellowship and love.

Today I am thankful for...

• VETERANS...Thank you to all of the individuals who sacrificed it all so that my family and myself; those who have gone before me and those that will follow--thank you for making it possible for all of us to know FREEDOM. LIBERTY. LIFE and the PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.

• for my eyesight and for my health. Monday was my 6 month follow-up on my breast biopsy. After a brief bit of unnecessary worry-(The tech called me back in for a lateral view and then sent me to another room (one in which brought me much worry this past spring) for an ultrasound). I got the results I wanted. No cancer. Follow up in 6 months. The area in question on the mammogram was indeed what I had thought it was: post-surgical scar tissue at/near the incision site. (I am grateful that I think I didn't stress out enough to trigger another iritis attack).

I am grateful for my eyes and for my health b/c I just finished watching Oprah and saw the tragedy that happened to Charla Cash, the woman who was so savagely attacked by Travis; the exotic chimpanzee back in Feb. of this year. Her interview was so heart-wrenching and yet so inspiring. I was happy to hear she has no memory of the day and I pray she never does.

My intentions are to try and post each day (up through Thanksgiving) something I am thankful for. I got this idea from Ali Edward's blog, who got the idea from Molly Irwin. (and so on...and so on...and so on). ;)

Thank you God for my health and the health of my family. Suz

What does one wear...

...when putting up the tree and it's a balmy 70 degrees outside? Apparently, it's more a question of what one doesn't wear. Oh and look at the ornament near the blonde boy's hand...the Brettster himself. Oh... and no comments about the uniform being the wrong color now! Don't u even go there! ;)

Here's what we did last Friday

...we went to a viewing of this in 3D. And boy was it ever! Loved the feeling of moving through the falling snow. Some of the other 3-D effects? Not so much. Funny at times and with a good message of "Paying it Forward," generosity, redemption and goodwill.

I enjoyed the movie, the 3D effects and the humor; injected at moments where 7 and 11 years old might just be getting a wee bit scared of spectres and such. I felt the money spent to see it was worth it. It summoned up in us the holiday spirit and giving attitudes. It stayed fairly true to Dickens' original story. I don't think I'd pay to see it again and I definitely wouldn't have little ones watch it (due to the spirits/scary visitors) but for our boys it was just the right amount of Christmas cheer, scariness and laughter. That's my review, for what it's worth. ;)

Look who's getting the BIG PROPS

My super sweet, uber talented friend, Lexi is being recognized by a big name in the Scrapbooking Industry Check out her creation here. Congrats Lexi! You are so deserving of this recognition.

Hugs,

Suz

Birthday card for Terry

Our NDN's little girl had a bday recently and her party was yesterday. I pieced this little number together and made an interactive element to it (since I remember two-year-old's really liking that kind of stuff).

Note: Please ignore the blur in the last pic-my eyes are getting old! LOL

This is actually what the pic looks like (+ the digital stitching and text*):

*Anna Aspnes digital stitches and text Century Gothic

Isn't she just like a little China doll? Her personality is adorable to boot! And, my boys...well...they simply love her. Look. You can tell...

They'll do just about anything to entertain her and are really kind and gentle around her. So wonderful for a momma to see the gentleness, kindness and compassion that I know each of them has in their personalities (Unfortunately, I don't see these characteristics present often in their everyday encounters with each other-LOL). She really does bring out the best in them and for that, I am ever so grateful that she's our lil NDN.

UP...

...up with the holiday decorations. Well, at least some of them. The weather was cooperating with 70 degree temps this weekend, so we thought we'd take advantage of the good weather and cross some items off of our holiday to do list early-since we will be having many people gather here in the coming weeks. (And, no, we will not be turning the lights on until after Thanksgiving Day).

December Daily 2009 Flickr Group

I joined this group tonight and was inspired by al of the great albums I saw there. Check it out here. Good night!

December Daily Sneak

Here's a bit of the cover of my Dec. Daily. I've just now started to work on the "guts" of it all. (Hey, that sounded vaguely reminiscent of something "Bob Wiley" would say!)

And here's the completed front cover. (Ok, so no more sneak peak! I just couldn't help myself). I was so excited to finally put to use some of the vintage red lace that I purchased a few years back from my aunt's friend. And I'm happy to report I have enough left over for another project! I'll try to post some of the "guts" later. :)

Working towards yellow

The boys have been taking tae kwon do for a month or two now and next week will be their first opportunity to test for a higher belt level. Both have been working hard on their sparring combos, sang sang, self defense and Chun-GEE ( I absolutely no idea if I've even come close to spelling these words correctly! I 'm still struggling to call their uniforms "GEES" with a hard G as opposed to "JEES" with a soft G. They are forever correcting me-I seriously wonder why someone with a pretty darn good memory can't get it straight. But then again, I almost on a daily basis, call each of the boys by the other's name. Such is the life of crazed momma. Anyways, Ian was so excited for Mick to get home from his business travels to tell him that he had earned two yellow stripes at his tae kwon do class. Always love the enthusiasm of youth. (Hope I never lose it myself-LOL)

I've been keeping busy now that tennis is over by:

• purging the house of excess clothes, contraptions and paper clutter
• taking an online scrapbooking and documenting class
• scanning old photographs
• teaching about monotheism, the Middle East, 9/11, weather, ratios and fractions &reading The Lord of The Flies along with Ian
• planning ahead for the holidays-I'm hosting Thanksgiving this year
• thinking this weekend will be a good time to put up the tree and the outdoor lights-since the weather is supposed to be nice (And no, we will NOT be turning the lights on until after Thanksgiving).
• constructing the "guts" of my 2009 December Daily album
• taxiing the boys from Scouts to tae kwon do to tennis and more
• looking forward to days spent curled up with my Kindle, some spiced cider, and an oversized orange kitty in my lap

Happy Hauntings

Run out of time and the pumpkins aren't carved?

Here's a simple "Tim the Toolman Solution:"

USE A DRILL. SPEEDY. EFFICIENT. FOR ON-THE-GO DADS OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM.

We spent the weekend with with the cousins. Took in a neighborhood pig roast, a viewing of a very muddy football game, and sipped spiced apple cider. There were quite the host of characters lurking in the streets. Some even made their way into the hallowed halls of the M. household. Here's a few that actually developed (since ghosts can never truly be caught on film...err...digital camera sensors..or can they?)

Slash and Bro meet up with Lady Godiva (shown here fully clothed for the "G Rated"ness of it all! ;)

Slash and "Roll" Model meets Cowgirl and Slash's Bro (above) Slash meets up with the Goth Guys (pictured below)

My DH, his inner Rock Star surfaces!