2007 12 27 Blessings

I was just reading a post on the grandparents' website and was reminded of all the blessings I have. It was a tough holiday, worrying about the little ones having a good Christmas. It was only about a week before that I just accepted that they would have a good Christmas even if I didn't have a lot of money to spend on them, I just had a peace come over me not to worry about them. I hate it when people equate Christmas with dollars anyway, so I let it go and just bought a few things that I felt I could afford and that I knew they would enjoy. Now I sit and review the pictures I took and realize that probably the very most precious gift I gave them was the gift of not feeling pressured into spending money we didn't have but instead, taking the time to play with them, spending time helping them learn new things instead of worrying about how clean the house was, and taking them to see family that wanted to share their blessings with them.

It was a beautiful Christmas and I'm so thankful I realized beforehand that I didn't need to stress over the "perfect" holiday, I just needed to relax and enjoy the blessings that the little children bring to my life every day.

2007 11 20 Halloween

Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch - I love to go there, and we always get such vibrant photos. This year I took the little ones and their mom and my mother-in-law, Grandma Molly. We met my nephew, Bryan, his wife, Felicia, and their kids Ryan and Sarah there. I was hoping it would be a time when the kids could bond we never could be them all in the same place at the same time, it was just such a big place and each of the kids had their own idea of what was the most fun. we did manage to ride the hayride together, but there was so much to see on it that they kids were busy watching the scenery and didn't visit, but all in all I think everyone had a great day.

For Hallowen, we took the little ones to the mall and they were a huge hit. All the store employees made such a fuss over them, and they were both so well behaved and always said "trick or treat" and "thank you". I was so proud of them. I thought it was so funny when we were leaving. They had their treat bags filled with so much candy, but they couldn't resist the wall of candy machines near the exit door. It was too colorful not to take the shot. The kids were also very polite about their candy at home. I was afraid I'd have to hide it after the first day to keep them from trying to get into it, but everyday when they asked I'd let them have a few pieces, then tell them it was time to put it up. They always handed me their bags and never asked for it again til the next day. I never did have to hide it from them. They never cease to make me so proud of them.

2007 11 13 Shoes

I haven't posted about Halloween because I've been ill again and haven't downloaded the photos. I hope to accomplish that this weekend, but I did want to post something Haydan did yesterday.

He started to take his shoes off near me and I teased him saying "no, no, not here, take them off in the hallway!" He has very stinky feet and I really didn't want to smell them. He knew that's why I didn't want him to take his shoes off near me and I could see him thinking of a solution. Well, he found one. I had an airwick room freshener on a table nearby. He said "how about I put my shoes on there?" and he took his shoes off and set them near the air freshener. He came back and forth about every 4 or 5 minutes to see if his shoes had soaked up the good air yet. I was so impressed at his problem-solving process. He knew the purpose of the air freshener and applied it to the problem his shoes presented and put two and two together! He is only 4!

The other night he came in to tell me something funny from Spongebob. He said Plankton was wearing Spongebob's pants. He was laughing so hard, he thought it was just hilarious. I started laughing, too, saying how funny he would look if he were wearing Spongebob's pants. He thought about that for about a second and said "yeah, but I don't have any holes" and he pointed to his head. I laughed so hard because he had such a great comeback so fast, it was almost as if he had been thinking the same thing himself.

Well, when I feel better we are off to a sports store to find some kind of odor eater for his shoes. This old dog is smart enough to know that if a 4 year old is trying to figure out a solution to his foot odor problem, it's time to help him out.

2007 10 24 Dragons

"Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children that dragons can be killed." G. K. Chesterton

This quote was used on a tv program tonight. I didn't see the entire program, just the ending, it was about a kidnapped child who had been abused. The quote really moved me and I wanted to include it here to remind myself that, sadly, children do know dragons exist, and that it is up to caring, loving family members to teach them that dragons can be killed. My little ones came to me exhibiting a lot of fears and it breaks my heart, but they are little by little overcoming them. I wish they never knew about dragons, I wish they'd never seen one or been harmed by one, but they have, so I'm teaching them how to kill dragons.

2007 10 23 Random thoughts

Today I reminded my oldest that she doesn't have to apologize to me for not doing some things. I told her that her priorities are in order, and unless she's apologizing for not keeping her priorities in order, there's nothing to apologize for. We each have to determine what is most important in our life, and we have to set aside time in our lives for what matters most. This child is taking care of what matters most all the time, and I'm so very proud of her.

It reminded me of what I'm not taking care of in my life, how my priorities keep slipping. I explain it away due to not feeling well, or being too tired, not having enough time, lack of focus, lack of dollars, whatever...but I know those are poor excuses. It made me think of a date in the future when I may have to explain myself to someone, and I have to consider the impact of my choices on those around me.

I've been extremely judgmental of someone without realizing I'm doing similar things - yet I justify my actions while I rant and rave about theirs. I have been witnessing someone who seems to be very selfish when it comes to my little ones. Their selfishness makes me angry, yet I have been selfish in a similar fashion - so I've made the decision to attempt to counteract their selfishness. There are some activities I know these little ones would love to participate in that I'm not interested in or don't have any experience with. I've realized I don't have to engage in the "exact" activity to bring them the joy they might get from going all out in - - - let's say bowling, just to pick something specific. If they want to bowl, and I have no idea even how to bowl, I could set up a lane down the hall and knock down water bottles with a ball, or make a miniature bowling lane on a tabletop with some craft item. I could even get a board game that simulates the game so we could play it in the house rather than going to a bowling alley. There's even the option of a video game that we could play together. Just because I don't know how to bowl, doesn't really justify me taking that pleasure away from the little ones, I should find a way to bring it into their lives and let them explore their horizons.

This entry won't make much sense to anyone, but it's given me some ideas to follow through on that I think will make me feel better and will certainly give the kids a laugh or too, and that's really what it's all about, helping these little ones grow into happy, healthy adults - some day. I guess it goes back to "children learning what they live". My decision today will hopefully prevent me from needing to apologize later for not doing some things I should be doing, and eventually teach these little ones not to point the finger like I have been doing. Lots of lessons learned here and it's all thanks to someone I don't like very much at all.

2007 10 17 Let them be little

Music Video:LET THEM BE LITTLE (by Billy Dean)

Music Video Code provided by VideoCodeZone.Com

Another song that touches me deep in my soul. I hope that every child that goes to sleep tonight has their parent or someone who loves them immensely tucking them in and letting them "be little" for another day. They do grow too fast and I wish I'd enjoyed mine more when they were little. My "little ones" seem to be on the fast track to being "kids" and as proud as I am of them, I just want to keep them little as long as I can. There is plenty of time for them to learn all the grown up stuff, but the kid stuff just seems to fly by them and then it's gone, almost like the fireflies of summer. If you don't enjoy them while they're here, it's too late.

Tomorrow I'm taking the little ones to the pumpkin patch and even that will probably be something they'll outgrow way too fast. The two older grandchildren always loved going but this year it's going to be hard to find a time when they can go. Between school, parent's work schedules, football and birthday parties, they may not even get to go. So I'm taking the little ones tomorrow and if it works out that the bigger boys can make it another time, I'll go again with them, and remember how little they were the first time we took them, and wish that they would have stayed little a little bit longer.

2007 10 13 The boys

 

I've been sick the past few days and it makes me feel worse when I realize I haven't seen "the boys" in so long. They live about 20 minutes away from me, yet I can't seem to get to see them often enough. Today I don't have the little ones, but I am still down with whatever this bug is, so I can't make it to their football games. I sometimes feel like to worst grandparent in the world. I try to give all I can to the little ones and then it seems as though there's nothing left for the boys.

I love them immensely, I hope they know it. My goal is to figure out how to give enough to all of them that they never say "Nanny loved you more than she loved me". I know I felt that way about both of my grandmothers. As an adult I realize that both of them were giving all they had to the grandchildren who had the least, but they never seemed to make me feel like I was any more to them than a visitor. It would have been okay, had I not seen how giving and loving they were to the other grandkids - if we were all treated the same when we were together. But they weren't that way, and it hurt.

These two boys love baseball and football and bikes and boards and anything that keeps them moving. They are so active, they are going constantly! Their mom has sure taken well to being a mom to boys. She is so feminine, but she sure has adapted to the "boys life". She thrives on their energy and zest for life. Their dad is all man and keeps these boys in activities to build their confidence and strengthen their character. He is so involved with them that it helps me to know that they don't miss me as much if I'm not able to be there all the time. I guess that's something my grandmothers knew, if a parent is missing or unable to provide, you do all you can to fill the gaping hole. Since these two have Mom and Dad so involved in their lives, I am doing the right thing by focusing on the lives of the little ones who are missing that right now.

2007 10 05 My Princess

 

Just wanted to post a photo of my little princess. She is so gorgeous, I can't quit looking at her pictures. Lately I've noticed how green her eyes are. Almost everyone in the family has brown eyes, (except Hunter's whose are blue), so everytime I catch the light in her eyes it surprises me to see them lighter than I expect.

She's becoming very affectionate again. She went through a stage of being very closed off for several months but has gained a new sense of security and has even taken to talking to strangers. She loves on her papa now, she's still cautious of his whiskers, but she doesn't hesitate to give him kisses now. She has always been affectionate with me, and I love how unconditional her feelings are, but I know I'll never take the place of her mommy. Haylee's eyes just light up at the mention of her mommy, and she can't seem to get enough hugs from her everytime she sees her.

2007 10 02 waiting for fall

Well, the calendar keeps changing but the temperature is remaining the same. I was so optimistic about a beautiful fall this year thanks to all the rain, and now it seems it may turn into just another dead fall. That's what usually happens here in North Texas, everything dies from the heat and lack of rain and falls off the trees before it can change color and fall. And the bag worms have been so severe here this summer that a lot of foliage is gone thanks to the "waterpillars" as the little ones called them.

Haydan is so intuitive to so many things and he has certainly been so about the changing of the season. He has been very concerned about missing Halloween for almost two weeks now. I have been showing him the calendar and trying to get him to understand how each day gets him closer to October 31, but he just has to let each day pass. I don't know if he saw something that reminded him of Halloween last year and that's how he knew it was getting close or if he just sensed the changing of the seasons, but I was amazed that he knew it was getting close.

Last Halloween was when I had gotten my hours cut back at work and I happened to be off on Oct 31 so I took the little ones with their mom and dad to the pumpkin patch. We had a great day there and then that evening I got to go around with them while they trick or treated in the neighborhood. That day was one of the last days their family was together before all their trouble started. The little ones and their mom moved home with me a day or two later and the little ones have been here almost constantly ever since. They were back with their dad for a couple of weeks and those are the weeks I wish I could erase for the whole family, it was nothing but heartbreak, and the only thing I can say is that I am so thankful it's over.

We do have much to be thankful for this year, and there's no better way to prepare for it than to start with a trip to the pumpkin patch. I'm planning to take them next week, hopefully some kind of cold front will come through by then and drop the temperatures down below 90 degrees.

2007 10 01 hiding

Just a little update today. The little ones have been so wonderful lately, they are both displaying their manners quite often, and being so good with each other, I'm just immensely proud of them. This morning, however, I was glad to take them to their mom's for awhile. While I was getting ready Haylee came and asked me where Haydan was. He was just in his room playing a game so I told her that's where he was. She went around the house calling him and couldn't find him. Sine he wasn't in his room, we both figured he was hiding under the big dining room table, (his favorite place to hide because the chairs all have skirts and he can't be seen without moving the chairs). He wasn't there. I looked everywhere and continued to call for him and he just wouldn't come out. I was on the verge of calling the police when I decided to just scream for him so if he was still in the house he'd know I was not happy. Well, that convinced him to come out with his head hanging down. He had been in my office room hiding with an old bag of candy he found from his first birthday! I was so relieved to find him but so mad that he'd been hiding to eat candy - my blood pressure was so high I thought I'd bust a blood vessel!

The bag of candy was in an old aquarium that we used as a decoration for his first birthday and I left one bag of candy in it because the bag had fishes on it and the aquarium is fill of fish decorations. I never dreamed any kid would climb up on top of the desk and dig in there to get that candy. It just proves that if there is candy in the house, the kids will find it. So my mission today is to "sniff" out all the old candy in the house and get rid of it.

2007 09 22 movie clip part II

Warning: You'll want to reach for a tissue within the first 5 seconds of this one, (and some hand sanitizer as well).

2007 09 22 Movie clips

After my mistake at the gardens the other day, I realized I can take a decent length video clip with my digital camera. So I took it out this morning with fresh batteries and got a couple of clips of the little ones on their bikes. This one is Haylee just as sassy as she can be. The one above has pretty good footage of both of them, and at the end I learned something else, I am limited to keeping the camera straight on...I'm learning so please forgive me, but they are still cute, up and down or sideways!

2007 09 21 Traffic Jam

 

Some people would caption this photo as "butting heads" but I see it as "traffic jam on Warden Street". During the summer I'd take the kids out to ride bikes, scooters, skateboards, whatever we had on hand early in the morning. I thought this was so cute of Trevor and Haydan both wanting the "fast" lane. I wish we could have spent most of the days outside but I just couldn't handle the heat, even though it really was a very mild summer. I'm so excited about today being the last official day of summer. It means much more time outside with the little ones, and they thrive on it.

I worked on another digital layout last night but my head is not in it. I will give myself a few days and try again, I seem to have forgotten almost everything I've already learned so it's a painfully slow process for me.

2007 09 17 Haydan's layout

 

2007 09 17

This layout is of Haydan after one of Trevor's baseball games this summer. I think it just allows his character to shine right through.

I am going to post a layout of each of the grandkids (so the boys don't get jealous of Haylee). Haylee will end up with the most digital layouts because I got my digital camera shortly after she was born and chose not to print many of her photos til I got "caught up" on all the other photos I had. So there are pages and pages of paper layouts of the boys but very few of her. Plus she is my girl and she happens to be gorgeous, so there you go.

2007 09 16 The little ones

Just wanted to post a couple of things from yesterday. Richard found a couple of things at a garage sale for Haydan and Haylee and gave them to them yesterday when they came home from visiting their mom. Richard gave them their toys while I was outside but I could hear their squeals of delight from outside and knew what he'd done. For Haylee he found a Vtech phonics toy that looks like a computer keyboard and she was "typing" away on it. He got Haydan a Buzz Lightyear ship and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle van with 3 of the figures and lots of accessories. They played with these toys the rest of the evening. The thing I wanted to post was Haydan's response to Richard. Richard told me that Haydan gave him a big hug and told him "you're the best PaPa ever". I know Haydan doesn't realize the difference between garage sale toys and new ones, but in his heart his Papa had given him the biggest and best prize ever. Haydan had been disappointed earlier in the day by someone else, and his Papa sure made up for it.

The day before Haylee asked me again to roll up the tape measurer for her. She loves that thing and drags it around all the time, but she likes me to roll it for her everytime she thinks about it. After several sessions of rolling it for her I told her she's going to need to learn how to do it herself pretty soon. She immediately responded with "First, I have to be a nanny!" I loved thinking of what was going on in her little head when she said that.

They are so precious and I am so thankful I get to spend so much time with them. I wish I had been keeping a blog all these months of all the wonderful things that have happended with them.

I got to go to Hunter's football game yesterday. I do regret I wasn't as focused on him playing or spending time with Trevor as I should have been. I learned a friend was on the verge of death while I was there, and her death is painfully reminiscent of my mother's last days so I was feeling a lot of grief. I kept reminding myself of the end of her suffering, and the joy in heaven when she arrives, but I kept feeling the pain of the loss of my mom. Mom died 16 years ago, but I still miss her so much. I know she's showing those angels how to have a good time, and when Jacquie gets there, I'm sure her and Mom will get along just fine.

2007 09 14 Haylee

Just wanted to add another of my first layouts here, this is the very first digital layout I did. It was a quick page which means all I had to do is drop a photo into it. Simple, you say! Not if you've never used photoshop before. I spent part of 2 different days playing with it til I learned how to size and layer. I was about to quit and go away mad, but I finally got it and I love it.

Haylee was simply stunning on this trip to the gardens, so many people just stopped and watched her and many people thought she was part of a wedding party. She loved being dressed up and responded to everyone as though she was a little princess and granted them all such beautiful smiles. This shot was at the end of the day and she was just so tired, but her beauty still shines through.

2007 09 12 Stealing Cinderella

Stealing Cinderella, lyrics by Chuck Wicks

I came to see her daddy for sit down man to man
It wasn't any secret I'd be asking for her hand
I guess that's why he left me waiting in the living room by myself
with at least a dozen pictures of her sitting on a shelf
- Chorus -
She was playing Cinderella
She was riding her first bike
Bouncing on the bed and looking for a pillow fight
Running through the sprinkler with a big popsicle grin
Dancing with her dad,
looking up at him
In her eyes I'm Prince Charming
But to him I'm just some fella
riding in and stealing Cinderella

I leaned in towards those pictures to get a better look at one
When I heard a voice behind me say "Now, ain't she something, son?
I said "Yes, she quite a woman"and he just stared at me
Then I realized that in his eyes she would always be

Playing Cinderella
Riding her first bike
Bouncing on the bed and looking for a pillow fight
Running through the sprinkler with a big popsicle grin
Dancing with her dad, looking up at him
In her eyes I'm Prince Charming
But to him I'm just some fella
riding in and stealing Cinderella

He slapped me on the shoulder
Then he called her in the room
When she threw her arms around him
That's when I could see it too

Playing Cinderella
Riding her first bike
Bouncing on the bed and looking for a pillow fight
Running through the sprinkler with a big popsicle grin
Dancing with her dad, looking up at him

If he gives me a hard time
I can't blame the fella
I'm the one who's stealing Cinderella


This is a new song I heard this week. I am not a dad, but I sure do feel these emotions when I look at my granddaughter, and both of my daughters. My two daughters have gone off with their Prince Charmings, but any fella that comes along for my youngest, my little granddaughter, well, he's going to have a tough time getting her away from me til I KNOW WITHOUT A DOUBT that he really is Prince Charming and not a wolf in disguise.

2007 09 12 Children learn what they live

This is a layout using the same photo that I uploaded in honor of Grandparents day. It's a digital layout I worked on a couple of weeks ago. I am pretty happy with it as it was one of my very first layouts that wasn't a quickpage. I didn't keep up with the credits for all the products but I can look them up if anyone needs them, I just wanted to post this to show the what a little scrapping can do for a photo. Like they say "A picture says a thousand words" and I could write a thousand words on all the thoughts this image provokes in me, but I'll leave that for another day - it is very late. Also just wanted to mention that the little ones have been so much better since our awful Sunday. After reading several other people's blogs, this weekend was rough for a lot of families so it must have been an atmospheric thing....

2007 09 11 Botanic Gardens

Today was our first mild day in awhile so I took the little ones to the Botanic Gardens. We had a great day. This shot is towards the end of our day, and of course, my batteries died right after it, but I love the feel of this shot. It's almost like the kids are locking us up to keep everyone away. Along a path after you enter these gates is a hollow pecan tree that is over 200 years old. We found it one time when Tiffany was much younger. I have a picture of her in it with her cousins, Mandy and Chris. I was thrilled to find it still standing, and hoped to get shots of these little ones in it but they decided it was a monster tree and wouldn't get close to it. So I didn't feel quite so bad about leaving extra batteries in the car. We will go back and I hope to entice them into the tree with some stories of fairies or elves or a little squirrel family. It will take some convincing though, I'm afraid, because they made up so many scarey stories about tree on our walk out, they may not even want to see that tree again.

The video clip was an accident, I thought I was in "portrait" mode and couldn't figure out why the picture didn't take. It also explains why my batteries didn't last as long as I expected them to.

2007 09 09 Grandparents day

My dad with the two little ones in honor of Grandparents Day.


What in the world is up with my two little ones? Yesterday we went to watch my two oldest grandsons playing flag and tackle football. These two little ones did not enjoy it in the least, and they got attacked by ants as we went from one game to the other. The fields are so big they couldn't make out their cousins, and on top of that, they just didn't want to be that close to a playground and not get to use it. So they were not happy yesterday. Then today their mom went to work early so I had them all day and they were pushing my teeny tiny nerves all day. From the moment they got up til I got them in bed, it has been me or them most of the day. They woke up cranky and I could sense it was going to be a long day so, rather than fight with them all day I just gave in to it and took them to the mall. We had lunch there and then headed to the kids' court where they could play to their hearts' content and I could keep an eye on both of them without feeling like I might loose one of them. They both move so fast, I fear taking them out in public much when I'm alone. They are not wild kids, but they do get excited and distracted and it's just really hard at my age and in my health to keep a hold on both of them - especially getting them in and out of the car. So, we don't do things like this very often, and when we do, I always make sure we go somewhere that has some confining structure like a fence or a wall, something so if one does go astray I can catch them before the other heads off in another direction.

They had a good two solid hours of playing, jumping, climbing and sliding on all the different toys in the court. Then we went to Wal-mart to buy them bicycle helmets. Now mind you, they have been very good since we got in the car to go to the mall and the whole time we were there they were so well-behaved but when we got home they became little demons again. I had hoped to let them ride their bikes when we got home and apparently that is all they wanted to do as well because nothing made them happy the rest of the day. It rained while we were in Wal-Mart and of course, I couldn't let them play outside when we got home so it was a miserable evening. I have never been so glad to see bedtime come since I've had them.

They are usually such sweet and gracious kids, I just have to believe there is something in the air bothering them. They have each had times where they have been hard to handle, but never like today and certainly never both of them at the same time and for most of the day like today. I hate to say this, but I sure look forward to getting to go in to work tomorrow. Their mom is working a day shift so my daughter-in-law, Mary, has agreed to keep them for me so I can keep a committment to go in to work for a bit. I am just wishing it was time to go already. I have felt so stressed with them today, I just really need to get away for a few hours.

Here's to a brighter day tomorrow. And sunshine so they can ride their bikes with their new helmets (or "hats" as they have been calling them.)

2007 09 06 "The Greatest"

Just thinking about the grandkids and Kenny Rogers song "I am the Greatest" came to mind. While I was thinking about it , I looked it up, found the lyrics (below) and then I found this great video on youtube. I love the song, I was wishing it was my boys in the video, but when it comes down to it, it doesn't matter whose boy it is when they are playing ball, each and every one of them is "THE GREATEST". I hope my grandchildren never loose this perspective of their abilities. The photo is of Hunter when he was pitcher on his T-Ball team "Yankees" about 2 years ago.





Kenny Rogers - I Am The Greatest Lyrics

little boy in a base ball hat
stands in the feild
with his ball and bat

says i am the greatest

player of them all
puts his bat on his sholder
and tosses up his ball

and the ball goes up and the ball comes down
swings his bat all the way around
the world so still you can hear the sound
the baseball falls to the ground

now the little boy doesn't say a word
picks up his ball he is undeterred
says i am the greatest there has ever been
and he grits his teeth
and he trys it again

and the ball goes up and the ball comes down
swings his bat all the way around
the world so still you can hear the sound
and the baseball falls to the ground

he makes no excuses
he shows no fear
he just closes his eyes and listens to the cheers

little boy he adjusts his hat
picks up his ball
stares at his bat

says i am the greatest the game is on the line
and he gives his all one last time

and the ball goes up the moon so bright
swings his bat with all his might
the world's is still as still can be
and the baseball falls
and that's strike three

now it's supper time and his mama calls
little boy starts home
with his bat and ball

says i am the greatest that is a fact
but even i didn't know
i could pitch like that

says i am the greatest that is understood
but even i didn't know
i could pitch that good

2007 09 04 A New Adventure - Blogging

Collecting and salvaging lost items is something I remember from very early in my childhood. I used to pick up matchbooks anywhere I'd find them, and the little comic wrappers from other kid's bubble gum. I didn't understand why people would just toss those away. So I picked them up and I saved them. That seems to be where it all started, and now it's grown into a scrapbook hobby that has taken over one room of my house and could easily invade the entire home if not for the grandchildren.

Right now I have 2 grandchildren living with me. They have been a source of joy immeasurable, and also the reason I'm often up late at night. At normal bedtime, around here it's usually 10:30 pm, I will be so tired I can't stay awake. I won't go to bed til I know these little people are asleep, so while they are chatting and winding down after their bath and stories, etc., I come into the craft room, (where I can still hear them) and browse the internet til they are safe and sleeping. Well, many nights, like tonight, it took them two hours to finally unwind so now I'm wide awake and couldn't go to sleep now if I had to. So the blog seems like a good idea.

I mentioned the craft room earlier. It is full of paper scrapping supplies that haven't been touched since March of this year. I knew I wouldn't be able to scrapbook as I had in the past with the two little ones staying here and I was more than willing to let it set to the side while I focused on them and their needs, but all these ideas and layouts and embellishments just keep calling out to me. My logical side says - don't get that stuff out cause the kids will tear it up and it will just be a source of anger for you. My creative side wants it all out in the open so I can touch it and feel it and play with it every spare second. My logical side is much stronger than my creative side so everything has stayed boxed up just like it was when I came home from my last scrapping retreat before the kids moved home...but my creative side found an outlet!

Digital scrapping. What a life saver. A dear friend had suggested it when her daughter got into it, but after seeing her daughter's work, I was so intimidated I wouldn't even consider taking it up. I did, however, start reading her blog and envying her creations until finally one day I went to one of the sites she referred to and what did I find but a "tutorial". Photoshop has been on my computer ever since I've had one, but I never even learned how to crop a photo in it, it was so complicated to me. I was given a photoshop manual by my brother who knows how much I love photography (he built my computer and installed the programs) and still, pure panic is the only way to describe how I felt just opening that program. But as I wandered around a few of the sites, I realized what they called a "quick page" had to be pretty simple, and low and behold there was a tutorial to walk you through a quick page with the very same program I happened to have on my computer. Well, what do you know? I did a layout. It wasn't bad. I had been collecting freebies from a newsletter, never even knowing how to use them, but I am a collector and these were FREE so why not? I cannot tell you how many I had or how long it took me to open them all, ( or how embarrassed I was to even learn there's a way to unzip without clicking on each and every item in a file....oh my my my!). Well, I have found a creative outlet that I can access in the evening hours while the little ones are heading off to dreamland. All my paper products are boxed up and will remain so until I can 1) return to them and scap without little helpers, 2) pass them on to someone else that will use them or 3) teach these little one's how to safely use a paper trimmer.


Anyway, I'm going to see if I can post some of the layouts I've done here. Now I've found several sites that offer challenges and even prizes and I'm considering getting my feet wet but first I want to see if I can manage a blog. So here goes....

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com