is a picture really worth a thousand words? let's see here. first up are pictures that will explain to my two youngest girls why momma isn't going back to disneyland for a few years. can you guess what ride we were waiting for? indiana jones? space mountain? no, just the train that takes you around the park.



next up we have pictures taken that show why haley is the most photographed, scrapbooked child in the house. last night i made a layout and taylor asked why all my scrapbook pages were of haley. evidence below.




and that pretty much sums up spring break at our house. a quick trip to cali with dave and haley ending up sick. a much crowded disneyland. shopping and a haircut. some good food. all i can say is that at least it was a break...L

everyone, i'd like you to meet bubble. about a month ago haley told me she was changing her name to bubble. when someone asked her about it she said 'my name is haley, but my friends call me bubble.' she can spell bubble in sign language, signs all pre-school papers as bubble, says her name in a prayer as 'bless bubble' and signs birthday cards--bubble. i don't know where she got this name but it's not going away anytime soon. and it suits her as she is quite bubbly. and talkative. a talkative bubble.

so it was sort of a bummer of a week. really a downer. won't go into details but seriously folks--yuck. and i don't want to talk about it or bring you all down into the bummer-ness of it. so there.

on a positive note, and since it is a sunday, i will say that i know God answers prayers. literally. when you need it most. and to let you know 'hey--i love you and i see your problems and i want you to know i am here.' and i have to say that i was very grateful. i know problems and trials all come our way and sometimes God lets you struggle through them. but He knows when to step in and help you out when you need it. and i needed it about 4-5 times this month already.

but things are looking up and i'm grateful for life and family. my family. my husband and kids. there is not a day that i don't thank God for giving me the best kids on the face of the earth. love them fiercely. of course spring break starts tomorrow so look forward to the post about me putting my kids up on ebay. except bubble. she's a keeper...L

well i have been working hard getting ready for my first stamping up open house. when i got my kit it was like christmas. so fun. i absolutely adore my stamps! and everything else i got. so i will post a few cards and layouts using my stamps. most have been scraplifted from the SU catalog. which i love! the Y layout is a scraplift from keisha campbell. i have been having fun embossing again as well. love it.

so i went to the doctor this week. for my annual 'you-know-what' exam and also to change out my IUD. because you know--i have SIX kids. love them. but don't want any more. first, because i am 45 years old. second, because i have SIX kids. so that went all well and fine. and my doctor (his name is greg layton--and he is a fantastic doc!) asked if i wanted to see the old IUD--and i asked if i could have it for my scrapbook. LOL no, i didn't take it. but dr. layton did ask if he was going on my blog. i told him i would and threatened to put a picture on too! ha seriously--if you live in the gilbert/mesa/queen creek area and need a new giney doc he is the best. he has an office on greenfield and baseline. his wife is a good friend of mine and reads my blog and will tell him i put in a good word!

anyway--i was going to go by myself and dave told me he would come along with me for moral support. which was nice because i was a little anxious and it was good to sit in the passenger seat and relax. then after we met kerry for lunch and then kerry and i headed out to scrapbooks etc. where i did not let her buy any stamps! LOL but we did hit the jackpot and got the making memories little notebooks. so cute!!! after that dave picked me up and we were heading home when he decided to treat me to one of my fave restaurants before we went home. so this pic is of us in the restaurant. it was a really good day for me. and i needed it that is for sure.

i have talked to shanna and already in one week's time they have had tornado warnings and snow. and it seems like in their new home they have a crack shack out back. i give her one year before she is chewing tobacco and saying "ya'll" every other word...L

i'm alive. barely. i had the worst flu ever. it kicked my butt. royal. now it's time to get moving again. i will start my exercising up again starting tomorrow. i did get a book read in february. i read new moon. the 2nd in the vampire series. i liked it. i just have to read eclipse and i will be ready for the 4th book in august when it comes out.

some good news. i became a stamping up demonstator! i am really excited. i love their products and look forward to becoming involved in the company. look for samples coming soon! i am going to have an open house this month before one of their sales ends. anyone whom wants to order feel free to look through their catalog online and contact me! really--they have some cool things. stamps, inks, punches, cardstock, patterned paper, ribbon, tools--you name it they probably have it. and all of their cardstock, papers, ribbons and inks match.

while i was sick i did manage to do a few things. i made these layouts. the halloween one has some of the new hambly that i won on their blog. i am not kidding. i actually won something! they were giving away some of their new releases and they picked 7 winners out of the 700 that posted. so i was really happy. i got the news when i was sick and that made me happy. it is so pretty. i love it all!

on a sad (for me!) note--shanna and her family left for mississippi yesterday. i am so going to miss her. even though i didn't live that close to her anymore i would see her at least once a month. all of our scrap group except the 2 sickies--kerry and beth--met up at fridays to say goodbye. i wasn't going to drive down because i was still recovering. but i would have felt horrible not saying goodbye in person. so dave drove me down and we hung out for a couple of hours. good fun. i'm going to miss you shanna...L