LW 08 - Week 6

Seriously? Up 2.5 pounds? I'm not buying it. I know that's what the scale says, but I'm not buying it. But just in case it's right, here are the reasons why:

1. I'm not doing any weights.
2. I'm not doing any cardio.
3. I have been averaging around 3500-4000 steps a day.
4. I've been feeling a little off in my digestive region.
5. My portion sizes are astronomical.

Go. Me. Although I did manage to not eat anything after 9pm this whole week. Go! Me!

Visit Tales from the Scales to check out other people's progress!

10/24/07 weight: 157
10/31/07 weight: 159.5

This week's goal - Walk 10 minutes, 3 times a day

Winning Outcome for Lose Weight in 2008 Challenge
“I will maintain my weight between 154 lbs and 157 lbs throughout this challenge. I will increase weight training to 2 times a week. I will continue to do cardio work for 3 or 4 days a week. I will walk between 8,000 and 10,000 steps a day EVERY DAY.”

Wordless Wednesday - Pumpkins

For more pics, visit WW or 5 Minutes for Mom

TV Time

Dave was in a show over the weekend (he played one of the brothers in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) and while he was gone for rehearsals over the last 4 weeks, I fell into a familiar trap...

Jake and Emma have been watching WAY too much TV. And I completely recognize that it's totally my fault.

I just got finished reading The Read Aloud Handbook and the last chapter talks about the role TV plays in kids development and school performance. It talks about a couple electronic devices you can buy to monitor and administer TV time. But I'd like to think that there's another solution.

How do all of you handle TV (or Screen) Time in your house? What suggestions and advice can you offer. I'm up for anything (well...almost anything) at this point!

Fall Ya'll Giveaway - Organizing Bags

And so it continues....Day 2....

Shannon (from Rocks In My Dryer) is hosting The Fall Y'all Bloggy Giveaway this week over at her other site, Bloggy Giveaways. You heard it right, this WHOLE WEEK! Woohoo!

Basically, I post something to give away (as in "totally free to you"). You leave me a comment telling me that you want it. I choose a random commenter on Friday, November 2nd. That person wins! Sounds simple enough, right? Right. You don't even need a blog to win! (But please make sure you leave me a way to get in touch with you.)

Today, I am giving away some Organizing Bags designed by Lara over at The Lazy Organizer. Simply, click on the "Organizing Bags" link in my sidebar. Leave me a comment on what size bag you like best and what you could use the bag for. The comment that's chosen as the winner will receive any combination of bags you choose, but the total value cannot exceed $30.

I will close comments for this drawing at 3:00PM Eastern Time on Friday, November 2nd. All duplicate entries will be deleted before the drawing and winner will be picked randomly from all entries that remain.

Thanks for stopping by and GOOD LUCK!

Fall Ya'll Giveaway - Ticketmaster G.C.

It's here! It's here!

Shannon (from Rocks In My Dryer) is hosting The Fall Y'all Bloggy Giveaway this week over at her other site, Bloggy Giveaways. You heard it right, this WHOLE WEEK! Woohoo!

Basically, I post something to give away (as in "totally free to you"). You leave me a comment telling me that you want it. I choose a random commenter on Friday, November 2nd. That person wins! Sounds simple enough, right? Right. You don't even need a blog to win! (But please make sure you leave me a way to get in touch with you.)

I am giving away a $25 Ticketmaster Gift Certificate. Use it on yourself or give it as a Christmas or birthday present to someone you love! This contest is open to anywhere Ticketmaster serves (including all you "international" folks), so please double check your area before you enter the contest.

I will close comments for this drawing at 3:00PM Eastern Time on Friday, November 2nd. All duplicate entries will be deleted before the drawing and winner will be picked randomly from all entries that remain.

Thanks for stopping by and GOOD LUCK!

Notice to my loyal readers

This is your fair warning that this week will be a very light substantive blogging week. Shannon is hosting the Fall Y'all Bloggy Giveaway starting tomorrow and if you participated in her last giveaway carnival...well...you just know that there won't be time for much of anything else.

Bear with me. Enter the contests. Enjoy the break from my unbelievably intellectual discussions. Have a cup o' joe, and I'll see you on the flip side.

Have you ever...

...stayed up too late knowing you had a busy day tomorrow?
...had your child scream at you for no apparent reason?
...send that same child to his room before 9am because he was being so rude to you?
...had your other child start in on you, too, 5 minutes later?
...gotten out of the shower 30 seconds after you got in because your husband comes to tell you that your daughter found the TUMS?
...in an effort to find out if you need to call Poison Control, used the search engine on Scribbit's site because you were certain that another Mom had posted about her daughter finding the TUMS?
...been very happy to know that the kids over at Rocks In My Dryer found the TUMS, too, and a call to Poison Control would not be necessary?
...been more mad than concerned that your daughter found the TUMS?
...took 45 minutes longer than you wanted to at the grocery?
...realized when you got home from your insanely long grocery trip that you STILL forgot something?
...arrived at an all day scrap an hour after you wanted to because it took you so long at the grocery?
...realized when you were unpacking your materials to start scrapping that you had forgotten to pack any adhesive?
...spent 2 hours talking instead of scrapping and leave an all day scrap without having completed a single page?

Yeah. Me neither.

Thursday Thirteen

Next Monday kicks off the Fall Y'all Bloggy Giveaway hosted by Shannon (of Rocks in My Dryer fame) at her other blog Bloggy Giveaways. She hosted one back in spring and it was great fun. If you didn't get in on it last time, you definitely should this time. And here's why...

1. There are lots of cool things to win.
   
2. Everything is FREE!
   
3. You get to meet hundreds of new bloggers.
   
4. You get a CRAZY increase in comments
   
5. You need a blog to give something away, but you don't need a blog to WIN!
   
6. It's a great way to get early Christmas presents
   
7. FREE BOOKS
   
8. FREE GOURMET COFFEE
   
9. FREE BABY ITEMS
   
10. FREE GIFT CERTIFICATES
    
11. FREE CRAFT SUPPLIES
    
12. FREE HANDMADE SPECIALTIES
13. If none of the above is to your liking, there are tons of other things available...for FREE!

Visit Thursday Thirteen for other lists!

LW 08 - Week 5

I maintained this week, so I'm pretty happy with that. I had Starbucks twice and I only had a cup of normal coffee each time. When Dave first read my goal for last week, he thought I meant no Starbucks at all and he nearly hyperventilated. He was very relieved to find out I meant no lattes. The Pumpkin Spice Latte Season (some people call it Autumn or Fall) is marked on my calendar far in advance. Those things are like a drug to me. SO GOOD! But I didn't have a single on last week. Pretty good if I do say so myself.

I really need to get a reign on my nighttime eating. It's starting to take on a life of it's own? Any suggestions from all of you wise readers??

Visit Tales from the Scales to check out other people's progress!

10/17/07 weight: 157
10/24/07 weight: 157
This week's goal - No food after 9pm

Winning Outcome for Lose Weight in 2008 Challenge
“I will to maintain my weight between 154 lbs and 157 lbs throughout this challenge. I will increase weight training to 2 times a week. I will continue to do cardio work for 3 or 4 days a week. I will walk between 8,000 and 10,000 steps a day EVERY DAY.”

Wordless Wednesday

O.K. Please excuse this picture, it was taken at 6am and I am by no means a morning person. The real reason for these pictures is that they serve as my "Before Haircut" pics...

...and here is the AFTER! 6.5 or 7 inches GONE!

For more pics, visit WW or 5 Minutes for Mom

Hair today, gone tomorrow!

I did it.

I finally did it.

I got my first haircut in over a year. And I got nearly 7 inches cut off. And I did it a week ago.

And I still don't have an "after" picture of myself yet.

I know, I know. How could I not have a picture?? That's like a cardinal sin in the blogging world! Well, in the past week, I haven't seen anybody who would be able to take my after picture! Dave has been super busy (his play opens on Friday) so he's been at rehearsals nonstop and I don't trust my 4 year old to take a decent picture of my locks.

But I couldn't wait anymore. I dutifully took my before pictures to get ready for today's post...but still no afters. (Sigh)

But I really did do it. I swear!

Why didn't I think of that...

Dave and I had a date night this weekend...it's seems like it's been 452 years since that's happened but whatever. Anyway...

We have this place in town called Movie Tavern. And honestly, this is the best idea for Folks with Kids that I've seen in a long time. Basically, you can watch a movie and eat dinner ALL AT THE SAME TIME. Genius, I tell ya. And this is first run theatre, no less!

Dave and I had never been here before so we had no idea what to expect. We thought we had read a review that said you eat IN the theatre, so we were a little confused when the restaurant was actually in the lobby. That's right, instead of annoying arcade games, there was a RESTAURANT in the lobby. We were a little concerned, though, because the movie was at 7:55 and we didn't get there until 7:40. That's obviously not enough time to eat a sit down dinner, so we were hoping to at least get a tub of popcorn somewhere.

But when the usher lady took our tickets, she handed us 2 menus. Things were looking up! As you walk down the hall past all the theatres, there were waiters walking up and down the hallway with you carrying huge trays of food. We weren't sure what to do so we just found our theatre and grabbed a seat.

You sit in these huge leather rolling office chairs, and it's like you are sitting at a bar; you have this long counter top in front of you. In front of every set of chairs, there was a little red button. Before we had a chance to push it (never mind that we had no idea what it was for), a waiter showed up and took our order. And it was a full service menu, full bar, and they had dessert, too. You order your food, and as the movie is playing, you eat it. Heaven. Just heaven.

We found out that the little red button was to call your waiter. So if you needed something in the middle of the movie like a refill or say...DESSERT...you just press the red button and it puts a light off in the kitchen and your waiter comes out to get whatever you need. Seriously...genius.

I really don't know why there are not more of these out there. Right now, they're mainly in Texas, with one in Colorado, one in Kentucky, and one in Ohio. How random is that??

So I ask you...WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT!

And So it Begins....

Ahhh, I'm so happy that Sunday School and Preschool are back in session. Where else would Jake learn the wonderful gems that he won't get from home? Here are just two of the things that has learned in the past couple of months:

Jaocb: (walks up to Dave with his arm outstretched) Pull my hand.
Dave: What?
Jacob: Pull my hand, a sound will come out of my body.
Dave: Where'd you learn that?
Jacob: The boy in the striped shirt at Sunday School.

Jacob: Don't do that!
Dave: Please don't talk to me that way.
Jacob: Don't do that or I'm going to smack you!
Dave: Where'd you learn that?
Jacob: From my friend at Preschool.

Where would we be without these little life lessons he learns along the way??

Thursday Thirteen - Costumes

This is the first year that Jacob has actually had an opinion and understood about dressing up for Halloween. Last year when we asked him what he wanted to be, his answer would change every day. We finally just said "Hey, how about the easiest costume to find the cheapest costume on eBay Spiderman?" He was thrilled, and so was I. I'm all about cheap and easy!

This year, his answer has been the same from the start: a ghost. Can't get much easier than that, especially when my mom is making the costume! And that got me thinking about the costumes I wore in years past for Halloween. But I could only come up with 10, and I couldn't think of another TT for today, so I'm taking some liberties and expanding my eligible costumes to include costumes I wore in shows. Because I can. So there.

1. Punk girl - I nearly died for this one...I promised I wouldn't take my sister's earring, then did, then lost it and never found it. Good times.
2. Daphne Blake - 4 of us from a place I worked dressed up like the Scooby Doo characters. I had the costume right down to the shoes, baby. This is one of my all time favorites.
   
3. School girl turned vampire - I was so cool back then.
4. A bum
5. Animal from The Muppets - that was the hottest mask I've ever worn in my life.
6. A demented doctor - lots of blood
7. A car accident victim - lots of blood and bandages
8. A public school kid - I went to Catholic schools for 12 years, this one was a given once I got cheeky enough to go through with it.
9. Princess Leia - I was hot. Literally and figuratively.
   
10. A gypsy - Of course, the year I go with a fairly skimpy costume, it was FREEZING outside.
    
11. A cheerleader for Grease - If you only knew me In Real Life, then you would know exactly how funny this scenario is. I played Patty Simcox and yes, Grease is the word.
12. Sally Brown for You're a Good Man Charlie Brown - Who says Sally can't be 5'9" with red hair??
13. A jester in King Arthur's Calamity - I mentioned before how much I hated this show. The purple and pink jester costume with gold lame curled toe boots is just one more reason why.

Visit other Thursday Thirteen lists!

LW 08 - Week 4

I'm down a pound this week! Woohoo! It's amazing what happens when you actually GO to the gym instead of just PAYING to go to the gym...LOL! I did learn a few things this week, though:

1. Do not attempt to do 4 sets of any weight routine when you haven't lifted anything in 6 or 8 months.
2. Do not start a new weight routine for your arms the day before you are supposed to bowl. You WILL NOT have control over your own limbs.
3. Do practice some restraint when tempted with graham crackers and PB...serious trap!
4. Do not stop stretching completely just because your legs felt good for 8 whole hours. The feeling will not last.

Visit Tales from the Scales to check out other people's progress!

10/17/07 weight: 157
10/24/07 weight: 154-157
This week's goal - No Starbucks special drinks!!!

Winning Outcome for Lose Weight in 2008 Challenge

“I will to maintain my weight between 154 lbs and 157 lbs throughout this challenge. I will increase weight training to 2 times a week. I will continue to do cardio work for 3 or 4 days a week. I will walk between 8,000 and 10,000 steps a day EVERY DAY.”

Saying Goodbye

About 2 weeks ago, we had to say goodbye to a member of our family...our 17.5 year old cat, Taffy. After a year of struggling with the decision, we had to put him down. His health had slowly been going downhill. He was losing weight and had been having trouble using the litter box. On top of that, he was starting to lose control of his hind quarters. He was having trouble jumping and every once in a while, he would just fall over because he would lose control of his back hips and legs.

Dave called the doctor to see if there was anything they could do. He took him in on a Friday morning and Taffy never came home. They called Dave at work to let him know there was nothing more they could do. Dave called me and we made the decision that we had been putting off for so long, hoping he would turn a corner.

We decided to have him cremated, and about a week and a half later, Dave returned to the vet to pick up his ashes. When Dave got home, he was crying again and he handed me this piece of paper, telling me to read it. It was a cremation certificate that had come from the farm that had done it. Attached was half of a gold charm. The other half was placed in the urn with Taffy.

Making the decision to put Taffy down was really hard on Dave. He got him when Taffy was only 6 weeks old. Something as simple as that charm really meant a lot to him, and I thank them for offering that little piece of comfort.

Wordless Wednesday

That is one hungry squirrel...

For more pics, visit WW or 5 Minutes for Mom

Rock on!

I'm running a little low on blog fodder today...time for a MEME!!


1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) Missy Santa Fe


2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) Mint Chocolate Chip Thin Mint (I'm telling ya, I'll have the freshest breath on the block)

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)T-Rud

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) Blue Horse

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born) Ann Columbus (with a name like that, I have to be the walk on character at the coffee shop. How boring!)

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) Rudthe (to be a Star Wars name, it would have to be pronounced Roodthay...otherwise it just sounds like you've got a lisp)

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink) The Green Kahlua and Cream

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers) Dominic Christ (this is not a misprint, my grandfather's name is actually pronounced "Chris". Teachers always thought I was trying to be clever whenever I had to write my grandfather's name)

9. STRIPPER NAME: (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy) Juniper Breeze Butterfinger (Um, no)

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names) Rose Hedegard


11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter) Strati Sacramento


12. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower) Fall Tulip

13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)Orange Shorty


14. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree) Cream of Wheat Weeping Willow (that's actually an excellent hippy name)


15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”) The Scrapbooking Snow Tour


Wanna play along? Leave me a comment and I'll come visit!

Thursday Thirteen

My son Jacob loves his TV. He watches more than he probably should...but so did I when I was a kid and I grew up to be a fairly healthy adult so right now I'm not too concerned about it. I monitor what he watches so I know it's age appropriate (he's 4)...but there's still one age appropriate show that I can't stand. And guess what! It's his new favorite show. Oh, the joy.

Here are 13 reasons I hate Boohbah.

1. Their names: Humbah, Zumbah, Zing Zing Zingbah, Jumbah, and Jingbah


2. They don't have mouths. That's just weird.


3. The sound they make when they came out of their pods. It's sounds like a bodily function.


4. The opening song. Here are the words "Boohbah, Boohbah, Boohbah, Booh". Repeat 10x, progressively getting louder.


5. The target age group is 3-6. I just don't see how a 6 year old would dig this.


6. The Storypeople creep me out.


7. The Look What I Can Do! segment consists of children doing a repetive movement a gazillion times. If you watch closely, you can see where it's a video on a continuous loop. 10 times independently is one thing. A gazillion times on a loop gets on your nerves.


8. The music. Electonic Techno stuff.


9. The colors. I know it's supposed to be a kids show, but it's so BRIGHT!


10. The fact that since we don't see it when it's regularly brodcast, Jacob watches it On Demand...which means there are only 2 episodes that he keeps watching over. And over. And over.


11. And over.


12. That Jacob LOVES IT!

Visit other Thursday Thirteen lists!

Wordless Wednesday

For more pics, visit WW or 5 Minutes for Mom

LW 08 - Week 3

O.K. I maintained this week, but I'm telling ya, it's not because of anything I actually did. I didn't do any cardio. I didn't do any weights. I didn't walk 8k-10k a day. I ate past 9pm. And I made pumpking muffins. And here's a little word to the wise, they can only be considered Weight Watchers friendly muffins if you only eat 1...maybe 2. But definitely not 3 and then the equivalent of 2 more in batter. I'm just saying....

For no apparent reason, I've been having a lot of aching pains in my hip flexors. It's been coming and going for a week or two and it actually got to the point where I was considering calling the doctor about it. Then Dave suggested something...maybe I should try stretching. Because I am most decidedly unstretchy. I can't even touch my toes. I lean over from the waist and my hands dangle around the area of my knees. But, whatever. So I've been taken 5 minutes in the morning and evening to do some simple stretching, and the aching is almost entirely gone! So that's my goal for this week!

Visit Tales from the Scales to check out other people's progress!

10/3/07 weight: 158
10/10/07 weight: 158
This week's goal - 5 minutes stretching in morning and evening

Winning Outcome for Lose Weight in 2008 Challenge
“I will to maintain my weight between 154 lbs and 157 lbs throughout this challenge. I will increase weight training to 2 times a week. I will continue to do cardio work for 3 or 4 days a week. I will walk between 8,000 and 10,000 steps a day EVERY DAY.”

Jacob's bed

So Lara from The Lazy Organizer is at it again with a new Tuesday blog carnival called Talk About Tuesday. The guidelines say

Talk About Tuesday is a blog carnival where we all write a post of something we want to share or talk about and link them all together here on my blog. It's a great way to get to know other bloggers and make connections in the blogosphere.

And boy oh boy do I have something to share with you guys today!

How can it be possible that the boy who was only happy sleeping on my chest just a few moments ago is now sleeping in his own big boy bed. That's right. Jake graduated out of his toddler bed and is now in a twin bed. While I nearly started crying when he climbed under the covers for a nap, his reaction was "This is cool."

Another moment that I couldn't wait for has rushed by me before I was really ready.

Check out Talk About Tuesday at The Lazy Organier for some more sharing!

Organizing Giveaway! - Contest Closed

And the winner is...Kassie from Just Another Day in Paradise! Congratulations!!!


If you weren't the lucky winner, don't forget the bags are available anytime by just clicking on the Organizing Bags button in my sidebar!

Thursday Thirteen - Traveling

I like to travel. Sadly, my pocketbook does not match my imagination so I am left with just looking at pictures of pretty places on the internet. If I had unlimited resources, here are 13 of the places that I would visit in the world.

Denmark - My dad was born there and moved here when he was 7. He just went back for the first time this summer. I would love to go there and just walk around the streets of the town he lived in.

Portugal - My mom was born in Lisbon and they came over when she was just a baby. They had to live there because of my grandfather's job, so she is not Portuguese. I still think it would be cool, though.

Italy - Dave has been on a tour of Italy and he's always said that if he could go back to any place in Italy, it would be Florence. Who am I to argue??

Ireland - I could listen to an Irish accent all. day. long. And pictures that I have seen of it are just breathtaking.

Australia - Kangaroos, Koalas, Ayers Rock, Anthony Wiggle Field...

Greece - There's just something about those white buildings against the blue sea that makes we want to cry with happiness every time i see a picture.

Banff, Canada - Another place that Dave has visited that he said we would definitely have to go back to.

China - I would love to walk part of the Great Wall. And the temples. And the artwork. And the food. Although I have a sneaking suspicion that actual Chinese food is much different than my local Chinese restaurant.

Africa - As much as I am freaked out by wildlife, I think it would be too cool to go on a Safari. Lions and Tigers and... never mind.

Iceland - I honestly never thought I would have heard myself say that, but the Amazing Race went there one time and it really did look beautiful.

England - Yeah, Dave's been here, too. He's kind of like my own personal tour guide. He goes to all these places for business (or pleasure, before we had met) and then tells me how wonderful they are. I think I'd like to go to the countryside more than the big cities, but I think London would just be awesome.

Prague - I don't know if I would've ever picked this one on my own, but I am going to have a chance to go here in 2009 with...you guessed it...Dave. He's going to have a week long conference there so I'll mainly be on my own during the day, but I figure if I can do Tokyo solo, I can do Prague solo, too. Now if only I can get my mom and dad to stay with the kids for a week...again.

Hawaii - I think I would go just for the waterfalls. Dave and I started planning a trip, but we didn't realize how expensive it would be. I think this is going to have to be a long term planning type of thing...not like any of the other places listed WOULDN'T be, but whatever.

Visit other Thursday Thirteen lists!

LW 08 - Week 2

I'm posting really late tonight so I'll just get to the point. I'm down 1.5 lbs this week. GO ME! I'm pretty happy with that (well, duh), but I am still struggling with getting the working out in...especially the weights. I am a step closer, though, to starting a weight program. I found a site called Free Trainers. It allows you to do a customized weight routine and lets you go back in and log your results so you can keep track of how you are doing. It looks pretty promising...as soon as I start actually, you know, doing it!

Visit Tales from the Scalesto check out other people's progress!

9/26/07 weight: 159.5
10/3/07 weight: 158
This week's goal - No snacking after 9pm

Winning Outcome for Lose Weight in 2008 Challenge

“I will to maintain my weight between 154 lbs and 157 lbs throughout this challenge. I will increase weight training to 2 times a week. I will continue to do cardio work for 3 or 4 days a week. I will walk between 8,000 and 10,000 steps a day EVERY DAY.”

Wordless Wednesday

For more pics, visit WW or 5 Minutes for Mom

Organizing Giveaway!

Have you ever been tackling an organizing project and thought "If only I had a place to keep all this stuff..."?

Have you ever been carrying your keys, drivers license, and membership card into the gym and thought "I wish I had something small to carry this in..."?

Have you ever been putting your kids puzzles away in a box that's falling apart and thought "I wish I had something sturdy to put this in..."?

Have you ever been on a road trip and thought "I wish I had an easy way to keep a first aid kit in the car..."?

Well look no further! My friend Lara is having a giveaway over at her site for 5 free organizing bags! That's 1 each of the x-small, small, medium, large, and x-large bags. I'm telling you, from holding loose change at the bottom of your purse to organizing large craft projects to finally coralling ALL THOSE PUZZLE PIECES, these bags do it all. Check out these pictures for more great ideas and how to use these bags to organize your stuff!

All you have to do is leave a comment at her site for a chance to win. She also has links to her affiliate sites who are "co-hosting" the giveaway (like me!). You can enter once at each site for extra chances to take home the loot! When you are visting me to leave a comment, don't forget to click the button on my sidebar that will take you directly to

So head on over to Lara's site, leave a comment there, then visit all of her affiliates and leave comments with them for extra chances to win! Good luck!

One for the record books

Sometimes when I do scrapbooking, I'll make theme albums (as opposed to just the everyday pics of us in the backyard). I've done a couple already and I have plans to do 2 or 3 more. I have started one for Jacob's school years and am going to make one for Emma's school years, too. Also, I really, REALLY need to do my my wedding album. I think 6.5 years is a long enough wait, don't you?

Well, I've got an all day crop coming up at the end of the month so I thought I would get my backside in gear and buy all the stuff I needed to do the albums. When I do a theme album, I came up with one layout that I use on every page. I also use all the same materials on each page so that when all I have to do is put the pictures in. Basically, every page is the same except for the pictures. It sounds boring, but it actually looks kind of nice.

Anyway, I went to the store to buy all the paper I would need for 2 theme albums. I bought multiple sheets of 4 different patterned papers. When it was all said and done, I had 103 pieces of paper in my cart.

And the cashier? Yeah, she rang up every single one...individually. She literally put each piece of my 103 papers through the scanner. I couldn't believe it. And the conversation Emma and I had going was riveting, I tell ya.

Emma: What's that sound?
Me: It's the cash register.
Emma: What she dooying?
Me: Ringing up my paper so I can pay for it.
Emma: What's that sound?
Me: It's the cash register.
Emma: What she dooying?
Me: Ringing up my paper so I can pay for it.

She literally kept asking the same 2 questions the entire time. And I'm not even exaggerating for the sake of a good story. The exact same 2 questions for what seemed like 4 hours straight. O.K., now that was an exaggeration. Really it was 6 hours straight. When the cashier was all done ringing up 103 pieces of paper, it took her 30 minutes to fold the receipt up into a small enough wad to fit in my purse.

So what do I do when I get home? Take a picture of course! The first one of the receipt all by its lonesome on my counter didn't quite have the effect that I wanted, so I forced payed asked the kids to lay down next to it. Now that is one LOOOOOOOONG receipt!