clean slate

I've been MIA from the computer for the past few days, but there is good reason. Alex and I have completely done a room makeover on her room. When I say makeover, I mean serious business. from paint to floors, we did a number on it. I must say it looks fabulous though! Something any 16 year old chicky would love.

It all started with the great Roxy bedding that Alex's mom got her for her birthday. The entire room stems from the awesome fun colors: pink, brown, orange, tan and white is the color scheme. It has a beachy, Hawaiian-y feel to it, complete with hibiscus flowers. We painted teh walls - I believe the color is Tropic orange...not peach! Please don't call it peach. I think it is the color of a push-up. No, not a bra, the ice cream! The other color is a rich, deep brown. The plan is to paint a large pink hibiscus flower in the center of the brown wall. I think it looks really great. She is using some of the wicker furniture that came from her Nana and Papa's house. I love that she wants to use. It's really pretty. We stripped carpet and rubber backing that been glued to the floor and we left the bare hardwood and added a chocolate brown area rug.

Anyway, Alex now has a clean slate for her room in fun, funky colors that definitely suit her personality. Now, she has to keep it clean (yeah right!). She is really growing up and I think getting rid of all her "kid-stuff" is a true sign of that.
Did I say how sore my body is from painting? OMG!!! I ache all over! I think that is a sign of my "maturity" level! ;) wink*wink!

lots of 5's

I picked this up from Sarah Bowen's blog (talk about inspiring btw!). She has lots of artsy eye candy. Anyway, I usually don't do these types of things, but this one was fairly simple, so I though what the heck! Plus 5 is my lucky number!

What I was doing 5 years ago today:
Honestly, I don't know, but I was in my first year of working at Ozarka so the semester was winding down and we were gearign up for graduation and Summer semesters; and was probably doing something to prepare for horse shows! Pretty much the same thing I have been doing every year for the last five.

5 snack I love:
oranges

Nutty Buddy Bars

Trail mix with m&m's mixed in.

chips & salsa

Baby Ruth candy bar

5 things on my to do list today (or things I did today):
cooked supper

worked on Alex's show outfit.

changed sheets

got gas (in my car!)

sent some news releases out (work stuff)

5 things I would do if I were a billionaire:
endow a scholarship

build my dream home

take a long vacation on the beach...like in Hawaii or somewhere tropical!

pay off many bills.

do something special for all my family.

5 bad habits I have:
chew my cuticles...gross, I know.

stay up too late.

speak before I think.

talk too much probably.

procrastinate!

5 places I've lived:

Conway

Little Rock

Ash Flat

Cherokee Village

Fulton, MO

5 jobs I've had:
Legal Secretary

Waitress

The Gap

Target Distribution Center

Ozarka College - Marketing

see, easy peasy!

{Go for it if ya wanna.}

dogwoods

It is hard for me to describe - right now - at this time - within this week or two time period, how the dogwoods in bloom completely take my breath away. It is truly one of God's most spectacular moments of creation in my opinion. Yes, I love the ocean and sand covered beaches, the wonderful sparkly snow, waterfalls, along with a myriad of other beauties in nature, but I honestly don't think you can beat looking into the woods, especially when it is fresh, spring green, and seeing the pop of dogwoods in full, white, cotton-y bloom.

Maybe it is something that runs in my family, as my Granny and Mom both love dogwoods in bloom. I don't know, but I simply look forward to this time of year and long for it to linger on. I know the window of opportunity to view the splendor is shortlived, but I savor every moment of this natural masterpiece.

I took these photos Sunday, at Robert's (my uncle).

Did I have a couple of ticks? Well, yes.

Was it worth it? Of course.

Will I try to capture more dogwood pictures? Every chance I get.

Robert actually lives on my grandparents homeplace and these are actually the same dogwood trees that my Granny (and Pa, I'm certain) admired every Spring. This, of course, makes them even more splendid in my mind. These are especially cool nestled among the big pine trees that live right there on that spot on the farm.

On my drive to work in Melbourne I see a wonderful dogwood display. It is just hard to capture it in a single photo, it is just something one must see with one's own eyes.

I did try though...of course!

I scrapped!

Yea for ME! I decided I needed a little help so I went to the Color Combo challenge site and cranked out this layout of one of Alex's prom pics.

I also finished part of the SIStv March Style Phyle - "Go Green" that I've been wanting to do. I plan to send this cute "think green" bag to Brooke. She is very conscientious about recycling and not using the plastic shopping bags when grocery shopping, so I thought she would appreciate it.

I also did a couple more of the challenges from Elsie's 52 Week Challenge. I'm not completely caught up, but I'm closer.

This one is Week 11, SCRAPLIFT A COLOR COMBINATION

Here is the description from the site:
I loved the blues, browns and oranges on Mellette's layout, so I decided to scraplift her color combination for my pages at the right. For this challenge, you can scraplift me or Mellette - or open up this book to any page and challenge yourself to scraplift the color scheme!Ok since everyone doesn't have the book, I'm gonna say that you should scraplift from any place that you want. A magazine, SIS, a challenge blog, whatever. Just scraplift a color combo from any layout that you like!Have fun!

I lifted the color from this ad. I loved the purple and green together.

I also did this one for week 13 - SCRAPLIFT A LAYOUT SHAPE, here is the description:

Danielle wanted this sun-shaped page to have an artsy, vibrant, funky feel to it. I love the high energy of her layout and decided to scraplift it. My layout isn't an exact sun shape, but look how I've started with a circle shape and then added ribbons and different patterns around the perimeter of my circle. For this challenge, look for a layout with a shap you love and challenge yourself to scraplift it.I realize that you can't see what she's talking about without the photos but I am including all of the prompts so you can get more of an idea. Have fun! GO!

I used a snowflake for my shape. Yes, it is a little lame-o, but I got it done and I love that picture of Alex from our big snow awhile back.

Wow! I did get something accomplished!

I also took several pictures today of the dogwoods that are in full bloom right now. My absolute favorites trees in the world. More later.

Finally Friday!

I thought I would start this post off with a little some'in some'in for Jeanie. I snapped this photo of Amy tonight at Pizza Hut just for you dear. Sporting her new glasses...I think she looks rather smart!


Tonight was Walker's 9th Bday and they held a typical Pizza Hut Birthday party for him and several of his closest friends. Then Jennifer and Tony were brave enough to have all those little guys to their house for a sleepover.

BLESS THEIR HEARTS!!!!

Here are the guys; Cody, Tony and James hanging out before we ate.



Of course Alex was there and helping her "BFF Jennifer". Notice, there is no possible way to scoop neopolitan ice cream unless your tongue is slightly sticking out of your mouth. It's just one of those strange phenomenons that no one can explain. Seriously, Alex, you can try to play this off all cool and stuff, but we know you just cannot scoop neopolitan - or any flavor - ice cream, for that matter without the tongue...it's just not possible, even if you had a Pampered Chef scoop and not this cheapy one. Good try though, trying to play it off. You're real cute and all, but we see the proof up in that other photo.

HAPPY

BIRTHDAY

WALKER!

We seriously think you are one of the coolest kids around and we are glad to share in your birthday celebration.

WARNING - Major cuteness in this post

I promised the cute factor of my blog would greatly increase.

This was Molly's (and Alex's) first lead-in class.

Was it cold?
Yes.

Was Taco (the horse) totally behaving?
No.

Did they win?
Well, no, but they got fourth. :)

Were they darn cute?
HEEEELLLOOOOOO!!!! Definitely!

Were the pinpricked fingers and lack of sleep and raging fits worth it?
I suppose when I look at these pictures, it was every bit worth it!

Here is them actually coming in the arena at Searcy, White County Fairgrounds. Molly was so BiG acting! I thought Mom and Dad (Brandi & Marcus) were going to fall out, but she handled it well! Check out the little boy behind her with his pacifier! It was blue to match his shirt!!! :D

Now, I have to get a start on the other outfits...blah!

Vegas Project: COMPLETE (well, almost!)

At 12:30AM today (I say last night, but technically....) I finished the Vegas shirts, as I've lovingly named them. YEA me!! Today, I'm nursing my red sore, pin-pricked fingers. {It seriously hurts to type this!} This fabric was a beyotch to put pins and needles through. I'm most proud of that Swarvoski crystal zipper in Alex's shirt (didn't get one for Molly's). If you know how cheap, oops, I mean frugal I am, you know it's not like me to pay $35 for a zipper! But I'm so glad I did for this one.



I'm just praying everythings fits and works right now -since I didn't get to do a "final fitting" on Molly last night. We still have to add the bling to the collars and cuffs, but didn't get the crystals ordered in time and they won't be here till next week.

That little shirt of Molly's is so friggin' cute I can't hardly stand it! I can't wait to see her in it with her little black hat and black boots. The cute factor of my blog will definitely go up when I post pictures of her actually wearing this!

NOW, I have to get busy on the harder jackets that have all the appliques on them...but I have to let my fingers rest a day or two.

On another note, I would be remiss if I didn't formally add a big Happy Birthday to my Dad! It was actually yesterday....but I didn't have time to post (see above). I did, however call my Dad and he was ----now this will shock some of you ----- getting ready to go to a rodeo! Can you believe it!? {insert sarcastic tone here} :D

Seriously, I'm so glad Dad is getting to do this with Hadley (my littlest, little bro). I think it is fantastic and I know it tickles my Dad to no end to finally have a child who is as eaten up with roping and rodeos as he is....and he's dang good at it too!

Here is Dad with his brood: left to right is me, Hadley, Sarah and Kyle

love ya Daddi-O!

Peek-A-Boo

have not completely forgotten my blog...This picture represents me peeking in blogworld from time-to-time. I have been completely busy*consumed*stressed with the sewing project in my spare time, but I did want to share some prom-part-deux-pictures! Actually this is Alex while getting her fake eyelashes "installed" by big sis Brooke. We were so happy that Brooke came up to help Alex get ready for prom last Friday. This was the day after her home had a close call with the round of tornadoes that tore through Little Rock and central Arkansas. Thankfully, it was just that....close call. Here are more pictures: Note Brooke's new hairdo!

Another cute Prom pic

Had to post these new pictures that were taken during the Calico Rock prom that Alex attended with her bf Russell. I work with Russell's mom and she emailed these to me. I love the captions she gave them:

"We're so bored!"


"We're so into each other!"

Cute kids I think.

I actually did some scrapbooking last night before the big results show on Idol and it felt good just to cut & glue some stuff. I really didn't think much about it. I will post pictures later. Speaking of Idol...darn glad Ramielle finally left but was a little disappointed that Brooke was in the bottom 3! :(

Speaking of Brooke. It is my Brooke's 23rd birthday today! I say "my Brooke" not meaning she is really mine, just figuratively- she is my stepdaughter. Just wanted to clear that up. So proud of Brooke these days. She will be coming up tomorrow to help Alex get ready for Highland Prom. Still need shoes and hem in a dress - we're so with it! Found this pic from Brooke & Rob's wedding shower. Happy Birthday B! Heart you bunches! :)
I'm sure I'll have new photos to post after tomorrow.

I really want to thank those three of my readers/friends...(I have such a huge blog following, you know?) who left comments of encouragement. I realize: This too shall pass! Sometimes, though it helps to hear others who have the same lack of energy/mojo/creativity/etc., so I really appreciate it. :D