Reading, Writing, and Parking

Okay, so I'm back in school!   I am relieved that I am not the oldest person in my classes, although I don't think of 31 as old on any scale.  I love, love, love my law classes... thank God because working in the legal field is what I'm planning to do as a career.  I really like my regional geography professor but the book is boring me to tears... it's the big blue-ish one that is 12" tall and 10" wide and boast super fab 10 point type.  My online art appreciation class is pretty cool so far, I love the subject, the book is darn good and all my time on Studio Calico has prepared me well for the online class format ;)

My first week and half have contained a few learning experiences that I didn't expect...

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  I had to parallel park for the first time EVER and I totally did it!  I knew the basics, read about it (yes I am a book junkie) and then attempted it with great success, the first day that is... the second day I was a little too close to the curb, but we just won't talk about it. 
  
  
  
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  I had forgotten how sore your hand can be after taking four pages of notes. 
  
  
  
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  I discovered that most text books now come with a CD of all the notes, of course this was only after I spent three hours taking notes on the first chapter of my legal analysis book. 
  
  
  
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  I learned that if you want a parking space that is not patrolled by the city you have to get there by 9:30. 
  
  
  
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  I've decided not to take my laptop to class because really it's just a huge distraction for me and the sound of typing seems to annoy others. 
  
  
  
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  I've figured out that you should get on the first available elevator going up, even if it's packed already (luckily I remembered that bit of herd mentality from our Vegas trip). 
  
  
  
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  Oh and last but not least, take a bottle of water and a jacket, it's dry and sometimes super cold in the classrooms, the poor girl next to me was wearing gloves while taking notes today!
  
  
  

Well, that's really all I have time for... must get back to the North American realm and all it's tiny font glory...

Finally Scrapping Again

Layout design is lifted from Lisa Dickinson again :)

Papers by Studio Calico, Basic Grey and October Afternoon

Embellishments by American Crafts, Jenni Bowlin, and Chatterbox

Mist is Coffee from Tattered Angels

For months I have had the hardest time creating any layouts or designing my classes.  It's been like walking through wet cement just to come up with one page.  I've been struggling through my own personal issues and I have been writing again, which is a great thing, but I just couldn't scrap to save my life.  My dear friend Christyn promised me that my scrappy mojo would come back and it finally has!  I'm thrilled because I have a room full of paper, glue and photos that was just gathering dust.  I've been "lifting" layout designs from my super talented friends, and participating in scrappy challeges, doing so has helped jump start me back into the creative mode.  So if you're just not feelin' it don't give up hope, it will come back, I promise.

In other news... I go back to school this week to get my Paralegal AAS.  I vacillate between being excited and really, really, nervous. I'll come back later this week and let you know how it goes.

Oh and these super cute shoes came home with me yesterday for the sweet price of just $8!   I'm thinking I may wear them to my first day of school for a little height confidence boost!

Wild Child

Papers by Bazzill, Studio Calico and Basic Grey

Embellishments from Cosmo Cricket, October Afternoon, American Crafts and Maya Road

Just dropping in with a layout today.  This is C and his cousin Taylor, she is wild, just like her Papa!  It's always special to get to spend time with her and this year it was even more fun because she was older and able to jump all over  play with Coley.  He was super patient and kind to her and it made my heart so happy to see them together.  This layout is another lift of the fab Lisa Dickinson!

Happy Friday!

Two Challenges & One Layout

Most products used are from Studio Calico kits.

Font: Quickutz Emily

Papers by My Mind's Eye, Cosmo Cricket and Collage Press

Embellishments from Maya Road, Studio Calico, Kaiser Craft, Prima, & Sassafrass

I made this  for both the Studio Calico Sketch Challenge and Janna Wilson's 52 Challenge .  I would recommend checking them both out because, of course, they are fantastic ways to get your mojo flowing!

The title for this layout comes from a wonderful song of the same name by Natalie Grant.  The chorus says...

"This is what it means to be held.

How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life 

And you survive.

This is what it is to be loved. 

And to know that the promise was  

When everything fell we'd be held."

It's such a beautiful picture of God's love for us as his children.  He holds us in His arms when we are weak and can't carry on. Whenever I glance at our nativity and I see Mary holding Jesus I think 'This is how He holds us.'  There is such peace in knowing you are loved so deeply even in times of broken-ness.

Have a great Thursday!

The Soundtrack Of Life

This Christmas my sweet boy received an iPod shuffle and while I was loading it with him I started thinking about how, in life, we each create our own soundtrack.  I love that a song can come on and I am instantly transported to a time in my life when it was relevant to me. 

I hear the soundtrack to Les Miserables and the song Castle on A Cloud takes me back to the times when I dreamed that things would change in my world and between my parents. I knew every word to that soundtrack at one time... wonder if I still do?

When Alanis comes on in all her angst I can remember exactly where I was when I first heard her... driving down College Avenue in my little silver CRX, it was just before my senior year of high school.  Jagged Little Pill is still one of my favorite albums of all time.  You Learn played on repeat in my car and dorm room.  It's of course totally appropriate for my OLW 2010.  Her songs were catchy but I was attracted to her honest views of life and her lack of concern for what others thought.  I admired that she put herself, her authentic self, out there for the world to hear and see.

In college the song Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls was dedicated to me by a long time love and it breaks my heart every time I hear it.  "And I'd give up forever to touch you, because I know that you feel me somehow, you're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be." "Sooner or later it's over, I just don't want to miss you tonight.  I don't want the world to see me because I don't think that they'd understand.  When everything is made to be broken I just want you to know who I am.".  I have it on my iPod because it is an integral part of my life soundtrack; it plays and I cry.  I like that songs have the ability to stir such powerful emotions.

When I first had Coleman, Garth Brooks came out with a song called Wrapped Up In You.  I used to dance around the kitchen holding him and singing "How do I love you, well let me see, I love you like the lyric loves the melody... baby completely wrapped up in you.  How do I need you, well can't you tell, I need you like a penny needs a wishing well... baby completely wrapped up in you. How do I love you, well count the ways, there ain't no number high enough to end this phrase... baby completely wrapped up in you."  He still thinks I am a fantastic singer... he's a sweet boy and those words will always be true.

There have been a lot of good songs released in the past few years and I currently listen to a wide variety of music... the top ten most played songs on my iPod are... Better Days - The Goo Goo Dolls, I'm Alive - Kenny Chesney and Dave Matthews,  The House That Built Me - Miranda Lambert (if you don't own this song you really need to check it out), Keep You - Sugarland, Gravity - Sara Bareilles, Let Me Be Myself - 3 Doors Down, These Are The Days - 10,000 Maniacs, It Happens - Sugarland, Over My Head - The Fray and Good People - Jack Johnson... I'm a sucker for good lyrics, especially if they tell a story, and a haunting melody gets me every time.

What's on your life soundtrack?

ETA: I don't only listen to sad/realistic song... I may or may not have a Hannah Montana song in my 25 most played... I'm just sayin'.

Meal Planning and Pantry Cleaning

Ouch!  I paid my tuition bill and bought books this weekend and now it's time to pinch pennies for a couple weeks.  I'm trying to be wise with the grocery budget so maybe I can save a little in that department.  I decided to take an inventory of our pantry and refrigerators... one of which only contains frozen food and beer... then I planned my menu and shopping around what we already had.

I'm a visual person so I hauled everything out of the pantry, half of the shelves are above my head so a chair was needed and I'm counting all that stepping up and down as my aerobics for the day, I placed everything on the counter and then sorted it into groups based on meals. Once it was all out I discovered that I must have been very concerned about a shortage of canned green beans and bbq sauce in the last six months, the pantry contained ten cans of said beans and five bottles of sauce... green bean casserole and bbq chicken will be on the menu in the next few weeks.  The only bad part of this was putting it all back but I'm certain that my rump will be firmer tomorrow from stepping on and off the chair.

Since food was on my mind I remembered that I needed to finish this layout... a lift of my talented friend Lisa Dickinson.

Paper: Sassafras, Basic Grey, unknown, and Starbucks tissue paper. 

Stamp: Studio Calico

Embellishments: Prima, Making Memories, Basic Grey, American Crafts, Hambly

I'm off to the grocery store... if you've got any good recipes that contain green beans and bbq sauce let me know!

Oooh... Mr. Brown stopped by just as I was leaving and look what he brought me!  QuicKutz and Studio Calico!  My Monday just got a heck of a lot better! Maybe the grocery store can wait for a bit....

Reality Is...

what you make it.  It's different things to different people... even those  involved in the same situation.  Reality is perception or lack of it.  Reality bites sometimes.  Life sucks and life is good... it's really just what you make it.

Right now my life isn't roses and sunshine... that's the simple truth.  I struggle daily with overcoming the "roles" I've played for the past eleven years.  I agonize over little decisions and big decisions.  I laugh,  I cry and I sing all in the same minute.  Most days I feel okay and I know that whatever happens I will be okay.  Some days I just freak out.

I've pulled myself up outta the gutter of depression so many times by putting on a happy face and pretending the sorrow doesn't exist... but guess what it does.  I've learned that if you ignore it the pain will come back to bite you in the ass ten times harder than if you just dealt with it in the first place... so I am dealing with it.

This place... My Daily Domestic Diary... well it's just that... it's now my diary of the good, the bad and the ugly of life. 

So this is it... the real me... happy, sad, mad, crying, laughing, singing, sighing and hard to shut up... welcome.

Oh and yeah, I still scrap... layouts will still be posted here... they just might be a little different...

Walgreens Wednesday

I love Walgreens and I can still spend hours wandering it's aisles.  It's amazing to me that you can buy hair dye, cream of mushroom soup, ice cream and padded toilet seats all in the same place.  I avoid most of the previously mentioned items and instead spend forever in the beauty and seasonal aisles.  I went on Monday night for ear plugs (loud heater problems) and wound up spending forty-five minutes checking out all their bargains.  Here are my top Walgreens beauty buys for this week...

Save yourself from dry hair and skin, miraculously.  Moisturize and nourish hair, hands and body with this super-enriched, emollient formula. Pumpkin seed oil, which is rich in fatty acids, combines with Olive oil and Wheat Germ extract to hydrate and protect dry hair and skin. Meanwhile, protein-rich Bee Pollen nourishes and rejuvenates, while emollient Beeswax holds in moisture

This stuff is AMAZING, I've been using it on my super dry hands it's done wonders!  Smear it on at night and drift off to dreamland when you awake your hands are soft and lovely.  Plus it was on some type of closeout at our Wals so it was half price... they only had one such a bummer because I would have stocked up.

Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil.  Smooth on for beautiful, healthy lips. This replenishing and hydrating natural lip balm is infused with the antioxidant goodness of Pomegranate oil. It replenishes moisture and restores texture to reveal smooth, healthy lips, and coats them for a smooth, even-toned appearance

I'm addicted. I love yummy smelling lip chap.  I've been using this stuff for months but it was at Walgreens and is just so fab I had to buy more.  You know how people ask what would you take to a deserted island?  I would take seven cases of this stuff and then dig a hole in the jungle to keep it from melting... I'm just saying it's that good.  Our store had a deal where if you bought two it was less, I don't know if that's national but it was a good price.

Go forth and be mouisturized!

***The above images and descriptions are from burtsbees.com ***

Never...

I was really inspired by Cathy Z's post about all the things she has never done, been or been able to understand.  I thought I would give it a try. I think it's part of learning more about who I am, or am not, as the case may be...

I've never been a patient person.

I've never been a quiet person.

I've never been good at letting go of control.

I've never had the desire to sky dive or swim with sharks.
I've never been an adrenaline junkie.
I've never sung karaoke.
I've never been to a karaoke bar.

I've never lived alone for more than a few months.
I've never owned a cat for more than a few months.

I've never been to Europe.
I have never gone on any extended trip alone.

I never thought I would have children.
I never thought I would be a good Mom.
I've never been more glad to be wrong.

I have never been more excited about life than I am right now.
I've never put myself high up on my priority list before.
I never thought I would go back to school in my thirties.

I've never been a very good housekeeper.
I've never mastered the art of keeping up with the laundry.
I never leave the bed unmade.
I've never been a "put things away when you are done using them" kind of girl.
I've never liked emptying the dishwasher or the groceries.
I've never minded doing the grocery shopping or loading the dishwasher.

I've never forgotten those whom I have loved.
I never thought I would lose some of them before it was "their" time.

I never knew how easy it could be to forgive.
I never knew how hard it could be to forgive.

I never knew that telling the truth could set you so free.

Taking It Back and Learning

I am taking my blog back!  I started this blog as a way to document how I feel about life and what's going on with me at any given moment but somewhere along the way it became about what I did and not who I am.  I'm a creative girl and I love to share the things I make with everyone but this year ... 2010 ... is all about learning who I really am and what I want in life... with that in mind I am going to post more about what I feel and think and not just what I create.  Know what I mean?  I hope so.

I thought I would start by sharing my word for 2010...

Learn -
–verb (used with object)
1. to acquire knowledge of or skill in by study, instruction, or experience: to learn French; to learn to ski.
2. to become informed of or acquainted with; ascertain: to learn the truth.
3. to memorize: He learned the poem so he could recite it at the dinner.
4. to gain (a habit, mannerism, etc.) by experience, exposure to example, or the like; acquire: She learned patience from her father.
5. (of a device or machine, esp. a computer) to perform an analogue of human learning with artificial intelligence.
6. Nonstandard. to instruct in; teach.
–verb (used without object) 7. to acquire knowledge or skill: to learn rapidly.
8. to become informed (usually fol. by of): to learn of an accident

I love that this word has so many ways to define it!  A few of the ways that I hope to learn this year are... I want to gain more knowledge about who I am.  I want to memorize me so that I can stand strong and secure in myself when the winds of change are blowing my way instead of bending to the will and desires of others.  I want to be informed of my options and then choose wisely based on that knowledge.  I want to acquire the knowledge that I need to start a career.... there are so many more things that I want to learn this year but these are the most important ones.  2010 is going to be a whole new adventure for me and I can't wait to begin!

What is your word for 2010?  If you're not familiar with the concept of choosing One Little Word for the year you can find more info about it here.

Happy New Year!