Project 365..I'm gaining!

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credits: Shabby Miss Jenn Whimsical Spring Kit, Jen Wilson Designs template & days of week

I finished making a fun brag book for Kristin tonight....I am honored that she liked her baby gift brag book, and her mom's, too--so she asked me to make one for her mom-in-law for a mother's day gift. So sweet...I was honored to do it. I have to go print it now!

credits: Shabby Miss Jenn Grandma's Garden kit and Whimsical Spring kit

Ta-da! Home Improvement 101

Here are the photos you've been waiting for Anne! ;) Yes, our dining room paint job is finally done--and I finally got the photos ready for my blog! Now, to just move the furniture back in...

We have lived with this seriously awful wall paper for nearly 8 years since we moved in. Living in a home built in 1900 is wonderful, but the previous homeowner went way overboard with the "period" wallpaper...and Rob and I are on a mission to take it all down now...we've lived with it long enough.


We love the color "tangier island" from Ralph Lauren paint...and we barely want to move our hutch back in to cover up the wall. We actually have two hutches, one is my grandma and grandpa Gabbey's and we may take the top off of it so we can see the wall and still have a little buffet... and, now I really want a new dining room table and chairs to fit the nice room! We've lived with the hand-me-down table, also from my grandparents...and it has seen better days.

Sunshine After the Rain

How can you not smile after seeing this little face peering up at you from under her Princess umbrella?! (actually her sister's princess umbrella--but that is another story... ;) )

I had quite a "stormy" day at work...it was beautiful weather outside--and I was stuck inside all day--why does it always hit the fan on Friday? ;)

I've worked on an event all week, and of course, it almost all went down the drain today--but we saved it and there is still a press event on Monday morning at the college. It isn't easy working on a collaboration between a college and a university...but--thank goodness for my best friend Kel, who works at the other university--she listened to me vent as a true friend can--and helped me get through today--thanks!

She also helped me out first thing this morning on my way to work when I was a basket case about our other true blue dear friend Trisha. Trisha, her husband and kids just got home from Florida last night and then on the news was word of a deadly car crash on their road--which is very rural. I was so worried that something happened to them...Kel talked to Trisha first thing this morning and I called Trisha right after--and it was so good to hear her voice. It just puts life in perspective when you realize how important cherished friends are in your life.

After work...I picked up Catie and Anna and the dining room is ALL DONE!!! It looks beautiful, and it was finished in one week...it would have taken Rob and I much longer ! :) I'll post a photo soon..promise, I just didn't get an "'after" photo during daylight hours!

Then took off for Mom's and played frisbee outside in the backyard! It sprinkled for a few minutes and that is where I snapped these photos of Anna!

It is going to be summerlike outside this weekend--just like today--can't wait!!!

Love to you Dad....

21 years ago today...such a bittersweet anniversary. It is the day we said goodbye to my dad way too young.
I was just a high school senior...2 months before graduation, and my brother Matt just 15. My mom lost her true love.

Today my dad had his own special way of telling me he is still watching over us every minute. When he was still alive--he and I always had a knack for seeing beautiful hawks sitting in the treetops as we drove. Others wouldn't see them, but Dad and I always did. Now, whenever I see I hawk, I believe it is my dad saying hello.

This afternoon on my way home from work, I was hoping I'd see a hawk. I did--twice. The majestic bird was floating and hovering in the wind..playing on air. I said "thanks dad--I may be tired from a long day at work--but you reminded me to be joyful--to enjoy my life."

I took the girls to the library when I picked them up from Kathy's and we got a movie and some books...then mom stopped over for dinner. It was nice to remember my dad with her tonight. Catie asked me how old I was when he "went up to heaven" and I said 18. She said, "at least you got to spend alot of time in your life with him." Yes, I did...but now, I've been alive longer than the time I was able to spend with dad. Yet, Catie said it best "he's not really gone..he is always with us."

I love you Dad.

Never So Glad for Friday!

SIGH....I told Rob tonight on my way home from work (and also my mom when I called her) that I've never been SO glad to see Friday in a long time! It has been crazy, crazy, crazy at work...I told my co-worker Col that I thought my head could just explode today! ;) we are all working like banshees to crank out some really good stuff...including this--I am very proud of the video that went live on the Nazareth homepage today! I worked with my old co-worker at 10NBC on this...(he is the voice)! Take a look!

it is pretty cool--now to get some media to cover it! Perfect for Earth Day next week.

Rob and I took the girls to Tully's tonight for dinner...I needed a Pina Colada! Pretty nice to eat out two nights in a row! Last night I had some time out with some of my best girlfriends who I never get to see (so glad Kim S. was home for Easter from North Carolina!) and again tonight with my family! I've just loved having Rob home on vacation this week...just to have a normal week of us all being home together is great. Yet, for poor Rob--not much of a break...Anna got sick on Easter Sunday at Mom and Dad Long's and she didn't go to the sitter all week. Poor Rob had a stressful week-too... Sorry honey. Hopefully we'll get a little grownup time tomorrow night for a date thanks to my mom!

Believe it or not...I actually lost almost a pound after all my Easter feasting! I have about 7 weeks left of my WW at work program...didn't lose as fast as I always have before, but now that my thyroid is actually normal instead of hyperactive probably has a lot to do with it. If I lose 10 lbs total, I'll be thrilled!

Speaking of Easter...here are a couple scrapbook pages I finished this week! Of the Easter Egg coloring and a couple photos from Easter Sunday!

credits: quick page by Emilie Ahern for Paislee Press

credits: template by Janet Phillips for the Daily Digi, Shabby Miss Jenn Egg Huntin' Time kit

And, another Project 365 layout that I just added finishing touches to tonight!

credits: Jen Wilson Designs template and Shabby Miss Jenn Vintage Linens kit

Rob and I are a little disappointed that we upgraded the firmware on our brand new blu-ray player to get all the blue-rays to play better, and now they don't play at all! Luckily, Samsung is going to service it for us (or better yet, give us a new one--the thing hasn't worked right since we bought it! when it does--it looks awesome!)

As Anna was drifting off into dreamland tonight, I always have to lay on the floor next to her bed (still her crib--which we need to upgrade to a big girl bed!) and rub her back. She says "I love you Prince Eric" (meaning me) and I am then supposed to say "good night Ariel." She then sayd "I'll marry you tomorrow." I've already been Mrs. Potts and the Beast from "Beauty and the Beast" tonight in the mall while waiting for Catie's dance class, along with Ursula from Little Mermaid! The funny thing is Anna is always the princess of course! We are just her cast of characters...:)

the eggs are boiled...sitting in the fridge, as they get ready for some color to be added to their world! I laughed out loud as I picked up the phone tonight to ask my mom "just how long do I have to let the eggs sit in the hot water after I bring them to a boil!?" It is funny-because I call her every Easter with the same question! I finally wrote it on a recipe card and stuck it in my recipe box! :)

I had a fun morning at work (which isn't something I have said a lot lately)--I got to work with a couple old News10NBC colleagues on a video shoot for the college. I played reporter and did the interviews as they shot all the video. The story...how my college is turning the used french fryer oil into biodiesel fuel with its own refinery! very cool!

Here are a couple photos I got from Catie's teacher from Grandparent's Day! One is Catie and my mom, and the other of Cate in front of her "Star of the Week" board!


Happy Easter everyone! Can't wait to capture all the fun! We're heading to an egg hunt in our village on Saturday and then to the Long family Easter on Sunday!

Walkin on Sunshine!

Ok...if you are a child (or teenager like me) of the 80s, you know the music was a lot of fun! I had a great surprise this morning when I got to work, and checked in on one of my favorite bloggers...Emilie Ahern. She had a contest for people to list their fav 80s song and she'd pick three winners to win a 80s mix CD that she created!

i won! CHECK IT OUT!

We headed out to Target tonight with my mom and the girls...Catie was in need of some Easter shoes! I know, for the amount of times she actually uses them..but these (the Henrietta ballet flats) will actually get spring and summer use I think! She didn't like the heels on the others! ;) I was glad, because she is only 6 after all..why do they need to push them into heels? I was able to help the Easter Bunny out by sneaking the Bolt Blu-Ray into the cart, hiding under the white tights and shoes!

I'm very excited that in a couple weeks we are going to be saying goodbye to our old wall paper in the dining room and transforming it into something like this color! I want a tuscan feel with warm gold and a chocolate glaze faux finish. This is close...well, not that my house looks like this, but the paint! :)

Spring or Bust!

As Rob and I sit here and watch the Kidman/Jackman movie "Australia" on blu-ray, I can' t believe that snow is falling outside! Uggh...it was so beautiful outside yesterday...we worked in the yard, the girls rode bikes and met a new friend, our 7 year old neighbor across the street who just moved in. They were so excited to play with Eva-- Anna followed her everywhere for the entire afternoon!

Mom, Matt and Stacey came over for dinner tonight...we ate leftovers from my church's roast beef dinner...you can buy the extra food left over..and it was delicious. They brought the girls Easter goodies, and we gave them an outfit for baby Olivia!

That is right...I never posted it on my blog a few weeks back when we found out that they are having a baby girl! Here is a picture I took of them the day they found out that they are waiting for baby Olivia...

Mom and I are planning a baby shower for them in June...and I'm making the invite and lots of goodies with Shabby Miss Jenn's baby girl shower kit...so excited! I'm also looking forward to putting together one of these lovely cakes!

Catie is excited for Grandparents Day tomorrow at school (she'll be thinking of you gramma and grandpa Long--we know you can't drive all the way to LeRoy for an hour and half at school!) My Mom, Gramma G., is looking forward to going. Of course, I asked mom to bring her camera to grab a photo of the two of them!

Catie is "Star of the Week" in her class...she got to tell her class about herself on Friday, and she told me (after much prodding on my part) that she got up there like she was on stage announcing it and that she noticed "Miss Carlsen had a little smile on her face!" Today she told me that her favorite part of having it on the bulletin board is that she gets to see Daddy and Mommy smiling at her...so sweet!

Here are the pages I put together for her after she picked out the photos and answered her questions! (I used SMJ's Egg hunt album pages):






I must catch up on a couple weeks of Project 365! I have been busy working on a work project that seems to keep needing new drafts, etc...I'm using my digi skills, but I'd much rather be scrappin' my own photos! At least it will help pay for our new dining room paint job!

April Fool's Day!

The joy of April Fool's Day was alive and well in our house this morning...love how our little kiddos bring the fun back to what could be "just another date" on the calendar.

Rob went into Catie's room this morning, just as she was waking up with the room darkening blinds drawn, and proclaimed "You don't have school today--it's a SNOW day...we had a blizzard last night!" She jumped up and pulled back the shade...as Daddy says "April Fool's!"

Then I added a little blue food coloring to the bottom of Catie's cereal bowl, under her cocoa puffs, and when I poured the milk on..."voila!" the Milk was a bright blue showing through the chocolate cereal...She stared in disbelief! I also added it to Anna's milk cup--and she thought it was hilarious! (it is my photo of the day, but I was too lazy tonight to download the photos! sorry!)

I think the best April Fool's joke I saw was at work this morning, when a co-worker down the hall had her ENTIRE office, I mean everything thing, down to each pen and pencil in the pen holder, wrapped in newspaper! I didn't get a photo...I hope she did! It took 9 students and another co-worker about an hour to do the night before. I heard the shrieks of laughter down the hall when she opened her door this morning!

I'd have an amazingly busy week and a half since I returned from Baltimore...work is in one word, nutty. I'm hanging in there...with lots of extra projects on my plate.

But, I wanted to share some photos and moments that get me through the day when my brain feels ready to burst with an overload of information and things to do.

Anna and Catie have their dance photos this coming Saturday, so they got their recital outfits at classes last week. Both girls had to try them on for photos for me! ;) Anna just looked too adorable in her "You are my Sunshine" outfit!

Here is Catie's dance recital outfit...our little "Hannah Montana" dancing to "Nobody's Perfect!"

We've also enjoyed some spring weather and a newfound love for our bicycles!!!
I also got such a great package in the mail today! I ordered about 40 12x12 layouts from ScrappingSimply, and they have amazing service and prices! The pages are beautiful!!!!!!

Catie is going to be "Star of the Week" for her kindergarten class next week, just before Easter! I worked with her to pick out photos to represent nine questions that her teacher sent home...I made little 8x8 digi pages, and they turned out so cute! I'll share next post!