This first card is for the Card Positioning Systems blog. I used sketch number 109. Four weeks in a row for me now...these card sketches are perfect and have really helped me to build up my card supply which I so desperately was in need of.

This next card I created for the Caardvarks Sketch challenge. I am so pleased with how this one turned out...mostly I guess because I used such pretty spring time papers from Making Memories. This is the first time that I have ever completed a challenge from this blog site. I look forward to doing more in the future!!
So see, I did spend some "me" time creating this morning. Now I have to finish up some laundry and get ready to head out to the first baseball game of the season...well that is if the snow from yesterday melted off the field and didn't leave it a muddy mess....teheheee

These are a few of the things that I created this weekend for the Coordinates Collection March Madness crop. There were a total of 7 challenges and I completed 5, which I was very proud of myself for getting done. I am usually a pretty slow scrapper because I change, rearrange, and rearrange some more before I actually commit things to paper. I did win a pretty cool RAK of stamps that I can't wait to get in the mail. All in all it was a fun weekend and I am glad that I was able to participate this time!!

Sunday we worked at the spaghetti dinner fundraiser for the boys tournament in Myrtle Beach. It was pretty successful and we ended up having lots of fun working. Max ate about 4 little cups of ice cream throughout the day so he was pretty happy. He also helped the boys serve up the dinners and take the tickets. He was so cute!!

Yesterday the kids had off of school and my sweet children spent their day off cleaning their bedrooms. I thought that was pretty cool...of course we woke up to snow yesterday morning so it really wasn't the best of days to do spring cleaning but hey...at least it is done for them and when the weather finally stays nice they won't have to think about it!!

We also went shopping this weekend for some new clothes for the beach. It is so hard to buy shorts, bathing suits and tank tops when there is still snow on the ground because you just can't imagine being able to wear them!! And it is a bit scary to ummmm see just how white we really are after such a long winter! The kids want to go tanning before we leave but I have never done that and just don't think it is necessary. Sorry guys...you will just have to put up with our very white skin for a couple of days until we get some color down on the beach! Thankfully we tan quickly and pretty easily so it should only take an afternoon in the sun to make us not look so freakish!! (smile) I did however have to invest in some industrial strength razors for the forest on my legs but I think after the first mowing I pretty much took care of that problem. Yes, I know too much information but it is a fact of life...I don't shave in the winter...I need the fur to keep me warm...teheheheee

I guess that is all for today....just waiting to hear about the van....she is at the doctors getting one last check up before we leave just to make sure she will be able to make the trip down. And of course we are taking the snow tires off today so I expect a major snowstorm sometime soon...isn't that just the way it goes? Hope not!!

Thanks for stopping by today...after all that cleaning yesterday I am going to spend some creating time today...need to make a few birthday cards...seems that April is a month filled with birthdays!!

Boy I just may be on a roll....three weeks in a row I completed the card sketches over at Card Positioning Systems! I apologize profusely for the poor picture but I was in a hurry to get it uploaded.

Today is a gorgeous sunny day here in Cassadaga...I am hoping that it does actually warm up to almost 60 degrees like they said it would. I freed up most of my day so that I could work on the challenges over at Coordinates Collections so I am really excited to hear what the challenges are.

The Sabres play tonight and let me tell you...I am just going to be one crushed Sabres Fan if they can't get themselves into the playoffs...hear that guys...keep on winning cause I need you in the playoffs!!

Other than that...a very quiet day, hopefully a very quiet weekend and yes...only thirteen more days untill we leave!!

Just a reminder that Coordinates Collections is hosting their March Magic crop today. Lot of fun stuff going on over there...come on and check it out!! Jamie has some pretty awesome kits and the girls there are wonderful!!

I have been working on some challenges for The Shaker Box this week. Linda is having a contest for everyone that completes all 7 challenges with a chance to win a RAK...I love RAK's so I am all over this one!! The Shaker Box is fast becoming a hopping site and I just love all of the ladies over there...so much inspiration. Stop on by and check us out...there is still time for you to get on this challenge this week!!

The first card I did was a challenge to make a window card....you can see through the punched circle that I have a tree stamped on the inside. The inside greeting says "It's Spring!" I thought that it turned out kind of cute but I have to admit....this is not how I invisioned it when I first started the darn thing. But you know how it is...go with the flow...right?

The second card was a recipe challenge where we had to use 2 patterned papers, a rub on, a flower, a button and thread or ribbon. I made my flower out of patterned paper, put a rub on flower in the center with button and thread to complete. I also used my Fiskars Threading Water punch on it too....love that thing!!




Well the countdown is on....14 days till we leave! I am so excited! Had a meeting last night with the coaches and the team. Have our game plan all laid out for the week. We play Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night at 8:30 pm...then from there it all depends on how we did with those games. I am happy that the games are at night because that gives us the days to have some fun. The boys just have to remember not to have too much fun so that they aren't ready for some baseball!! No sunburns and no hot tubs!!

This weekend the baseball team is putting on a spaghetti dinner to help defray the costs of the tournament. I hope that it is successful...so if you live around here....go on over to the Gerry Rodeo grounds Sunday at noon and get yourself some spaghetti and meatballs!! All homemade meatballs and sauce...can't wait!!

Thanks for stopping by today....I am cleaning my scrap room to get ready for a cyber crop over at Coordinates Collections this weekend. I am excited because it happens to fall on a pretty quiet weekend in this house...I am gonna get my scrap on!!

Is Max just not too stinking cute in this picture? I found it this past week while looking through my older pictures. I didn't like the way he was not centered in the picture but I wanted to use it so badly cause of that sweet little face. I decided instead of cropping it I would cover the part of the picture I didn't like with my title. Something different I suppose. Not sure how I feel about the entire layout but that face is to die for don't ya think?

Our weekend is over...thank goodness. The recruiter meeting had to be rescheduled due to a conflict in both of our schedules. That is okay...at least my house was kind of cleaned in the process. The musical was amazing...the kids in our school are so talented! They put on the Children of Eden and Max was thrilled from beginning to end. This is the first musical that he has actually stayed awake for. Of course we did take him to the matinee just for that reason! But he absolutely loved it and clapped after every scene.

Volleyball was interesting. Of course we missed the first day because of the musical but Abby was able to pull off a late night party and still be amazing when she played. She truly has come a long way since JAVA started. Unfortunately the girls were taken out by a pretty hot team in the playoffs. Boy could those girls play....except for the fact that they were beating our girls they were fun to watch...so with it all the time!

This week is proving to be a quiet one and I have to say that I think I like that. I just have one meeting this week and then an entire weekend off. I think we are going to hit the stores to do some shopping for our trip. And at some point we need to have the van looked over once again before we drive down...I am a little nervous because our stinking check engine light is on and this time it won't turn off. I guess maybe we should have gotten a new car earlier but I really didn't want to have a car payment for awhile. I am just hoping that there is not anything major that needs to be done and that we make it down and back safely without any major breakdowns. I guess that I will be crossing my fingers and my toes on that one!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope everybody is enjoying the beautiful spring weather...at least here in NY!!

First off...look what I got in the mail yesterday! My Coleman shirt!! I was so excited to receive it and so sad at the same time. Coleman is a little guy that I have been following for awhile now. He had cancer and he went through so much that it just sickens me to think about it. But his motto was Neva Give Up! (That is what it says on the other side of the shirt.) He passed away earlier this year. First thing I did when I opened the package was to kiss that sweet little face. Then I promptly started to cry and so desperately wanted to hold Max right then and there. Max and Coleman are the same age. After I gathered my wits I praised God that he was with Coleman right now...and Coleman was healed and no longer in any pain. He was free to be a little boy once again!! Coleman is going to the beach with me in a few weeks....and I will proudly wear his sweet little face!!

My second thing I want to mention today is of the political nature. Sorry if I offend anybody but I can't help it...I was truly offended by the remarks of our President of the United States....and believe me I now say that phrase loosely!! What he said about the special olympics was deplorable! Totally despicable!! And if the media just lets it slide by then they too are deplorable and despicable!! I can only imagine if it were President Bush that had said that and what a media circus that would have been!! I mean I seem to remember what a circus it was when a particular Vice President had a bit of difficulty with a potato!! The media wouldn't let up on that for months...well this is the president for goodness sake and for him to make such a low down cruel joke such as he did then he should be put through the wringer for it!! I will admit, I did not vote for the guy...my choice as I live in the United States...I will admit that I wanted ever so badly to hang my flag upside down outside my home the day after the election (A symbol that our country is in crisis for those of you who may not know that) and I will admit that I pray daily for the man and for our country so that no harm will be done in the next four years. But never, ever in my wildest dreams did I think that what he said would ever come out of that mouth of his. I will continue to pray for this...........not even sure what I want to call him anymore but believe me my prayers will be a sacrifice!! Sorry if I offended anybody.

Onto a brighter note...we will be meeting with NCAA recruiter tomorrow morning for Andrew Thomas. I have been frantically trying to clean the house...oh boy...well, it is what it is and I just hope and pray the guy isn't very observant (smile) Will let you all know how it goes later.

The kids have the musical this weekend and I have to tell you...I haven't seen my kids all week!! I will be glad when this thing is over. Sunday Abby will play volleyball in Jamestown for the big JAVA Spikefest!! She will have to miss Saturday because of the musical but hopefully she will be awake enough to play Sunday.

Thanks for stopping by today and hey if I made ya upset about my rant on Obama then I am sorry but it is what it is!! (smile)

I am amazed at how fast this week has been going....ok...how fast this month has been going! I am happy though because the time to leave for Myrtle Beach is fast approaching!! Remind me of that when I start panicking because I am not ready!!

We have been hearing from lots and lots of different college coaches about Andrew Thomas recently. It is kind of exciting and kind of sad all at the same time. I am so excited to know that he might actually realize his goal of playing college football but I am sad because it means that he will be leaving soon. Ok...not for another year and a half but hey, I know pretty well how fast that time will go. So, I was spending time going through photos and found this one of him when he was 2. I knew right away what I wanted to do with it and here is the result:






He was such a skinny little thing when he was younger. Nobody would have expected then that he would grow to be as big and strong as he is now but besides his size I just always knew he would be an awesome athlete. I mean come on...his daddy had him throwing and catching footballs by the time he was 2. Still amazes me how well he did that young but like I said even then we knew he was going to be amazing!!

Grandma Snyder was taken to the hospital for a possible heart attack last night. They still don't know if she actually had one but will be running more tests. We will be heading out to see her after Drew gets home from work and we have the kids settled as far as the musical is concerned. So of course now we are pretty worried about her and are praying for the best.

I have much more to share and talk about but will be keeping this one short today so that I can get ready to go to the hospital.

Thanks for stopping today!!

The weather has been just spectacular this weekend and continues on into today. It put me in the mood to create a springy card for the latest Card Positioning Blog sketch. I made this card using sketch 107....see I told you that I would fast become addicted to this site!!

This past weekend we were actually able to work outside in the yard. I found my long lost Halloween decorations that were buried under the snow since that first storm way back in October. Some of them are pretty worse for wear but it really couldn't be helped considering that there has been mounds of snow on top of them since like forever (smile) We also managed to pick up most of the tree debris that was littering our lawn from the many wind storms we had as well. It is surprising to me that we have any branches left on our trees. We also managed to rid the yard of 6 months worth of Kody poop....I know...You really didn't need to read about that but it was sooooo bad this year...I mean seriously bad!! Max was thrilled because he was finally able to play out there instead of hearing...No, you can't go out there because it is too poopy!! The boys have been chirping about taking the snow tires off of the vehicles...I just giggled and shook my head...you know we have at least one more major storm coming before it is officially over right? I mean when have we ever had a March without a major snowstorm...can't thing of any myself so I really hope that they decide to wait just a bit before doing such a thing!!

Yesterday we took Maddie her car after the repairs were done. She was really pretty bummed that it cost about $600 but like I keep telling her....cars are like money pits and you just have to expect that. I just hope it doesn't continue to be a burden to her...I would really like her to have a positive experience with her first car...but who am I kidding...cars stink!!

This week is really busy for the Andrew and Abby...the school musical is this weekend with performances starting on Wednesday. They are both on the stage crew so they are behind the scenes...the unsung heroes of the performance...teheheheee. Abby also has a tournament this weekend but will only be able to play on Sunday...she is a bit worried about how well she will feel like playing after being at the cast party following Saturday night's performance. Hmmmm....it might be comical.

Thanks for stopping by today...I am heading outside to work in the yard again....woo hoo...it is nice to see the sunshine!!

I really love to blog hop and see all the inspiration that is out there. Especially when I am feeling not so creative. Today I stumbled upon a challenge blog...like I really need another challenge in my life...right? Well this was a card sketch from Card Positioning Systems and it totally caught my eye and I was inspired right there on the spot!! I so love when that happens. So here is the card that I created using sketch CPS106. I think that I am going to be spending lots more time over at that blog. Lots of fun stuff to see and inspire! And well, since I finished the card in time, I told myself to go ahead and link it up to their site to see if I could be the lucky winner. Who knows...it is Friday the 13th....could be my lucky day after all!!

It appears that this weekend will be a pretty quiet one! Thank goodness because I really need a weekend where we aren't running around. Although...the guys are going to have to make a trip into Rochester to return Maddie her car. Yep....she made it here the other night safe and sound. But we took her car to our mechanic so that he could get the inspection done and he found...of course you knew that there would be issues because this family and cars just don't get along...that she had a terrible gas leak. And of course when he tried to fix the hoses the rusty stuff under the car caused problems and well...it turned out to be more of a job then he could fix in a day. So poor Maddie went back to Rochester without her car...thank goodness for grandpa and grandma because they were able to get her back in time for work. It seems like the car will be finished by the weekend and that is why the boys are heading up there. Max and I will stay home though because he really isn't a fan of driving in the car for 4 hours. Hopefully the repair bill won't be too awful bad but of course we are more concerned with her having a safe car then anything else!!

I did scrap today...I have been making myself dig out my older pics because...well...I have boxes and boxes of them that need to be scrapped. Of course the layout I did the other day was a really old picture but this one isn't too awful old...2005. This was Max's first Burger King Kid's Meal. He was really more interested in the toy then the food and I guess I have to say that he still is like that today. We have yet to get him to try a hamburger or cheeseburger though. Only the chicken nuggets. He is not a fan of mixing up his foods either so I think that is why a sandwich doesn't interest him. Too funny. I have also taken up to doing a lot of my journaling for my layouts on the back. Sometimes the journaling just does not fit my design...but telling the story is very important to me. To be able to do both I figured writing on the back was the best bet. This way I can tell the whole story and not have to worry about space. I can also easily add that the pictures were from this date but I journaled it on this date. It just makes me feel a little better knowing that I am actually getting the story written. I know...I am babbling again.






Can you believe what a pumpkin he was? Sometimes I forget how precious his little face was. Of course he still has the most precious face but it is soooooo different now that he is a "Little Man"


Thanks for stopping by today. Tomorrow I will be posting a new recipe challenge over at The Shaker Box so pop on over if you want to see it. Oh and by the way...we woke up to snow this morning! I was not a happy camper!! Myrtle Beach cannot get here soon enough!!

Oh boy...is this picture ever a blast from the past!!(1990) I did this layout today in honor of my firstborn buying a car! Yes you all read that right...Maddie has got wheels!! And I am a nervous wreck!! Then if that wasn't bad enough, she calls me about an hour ago and tells me that she is driving home to visit tonight!! Just tell me please....where does the time go? Hence the title for my layout! Anyways, this is Maddie's first time ever driving from Rochester and she is doing it alone. I have to say one thing...Maddie sure has guts!! I know that I have to realize she is a grown up and she should be doing these things but when I think of her it is hard to not think back to when she was this little. It seems just like yesterday only....boy this parenting stuff just keeps getting harder and harder!!

I want to thank everybody that left comments or emailed me after my little (okay...big) rant on Monday. I am feeling much better about it all and I just have to learn to not let it get to me. You are all right....Jealousy was probably the major component and I need to turn the other cheek. I know that what I am doing is right for my family and that is all that is important. Thank you all for supporting me about that!!

Thanks for stopping by today...I am off to continue saying my prayers for Maddie to have a safe journey home. May have to include a stiff drink with that as well....JUST KIDDING!! (Or maybe not!)

First off....before I start venting and rambling....here is the entire layout that I did for The Shaker Box crop this past weekend. The recipe included using only patterned paper...no card stock whatsoever, journaling strips, rub ons and or alphabet stickers, some bling and of course some ribbon ( those of you who have seen my scrap space know that I have quite the affection for ribbon!!) I think that this was such a cool picture of Abby and daddy....of course Abby let me know that she thinks her nose is too big and daddy commented that I covered up his face perfectly to hide it. Oh boy....are they ever happy (smile)?



Now for my vent and excuse me if I start to ramble but yesterday I was faced once again with somebody pointing out to me that "I don't work" so I have no place to claim that I am busy. This was done in a roomful of parents, the same parents and children that I worked very hard for this past month in organizing a banquet for. It wasn't done in private, it was done to shame me because I do not work. And of course it was followed up with the same old same old...."Must be nice not to have to work.... wish I could stay home everyday" Okay....so here I go (and this is for all of you stay at home moms...for all of you domestic engineers....

First off....My husband and I decided long ago (20 years to be exact) that one of us should stay home and raise our kids., He was farther along in his college education and of course I was 9 months pregnant so it was decided that he would finish his education and be the bread winner. This was not a decision made lightly, this was not a decision made because I was not the educated one...I was pursuing a degree in accounting at that time. (One that I later worked on as well) This was a decision based on what we felt would be best for our family at the time and in the future. Believe me at that time we certainly needed and could have used a second income!!

Coming to my second point.....We have made MANY, MANY sacrifices along the way so that I can stay home with the kids. We don't get a new car everytime we turn around, we don't have more than one tv, we don't have more than one computer. My kids get the things that they need to excel but what they don't get is all of the extras....the name brand clothing, the expensive cell phones, every new video game that comes out. They are fine with this, they have learned the value of a dollar and they have the same appreciation as I do for the words "Clearance" in a store. I am not saying that if you work your kids are spoiled....no not at all. What I am saying is that my family does without all of the extra's so that I can stay home with them and raise them how we feel that they should be raised.

I understand completely that there are families that absolutely need a second income...when Andrew was just starting out in his job as a teacher we seriously could have used a second income....times were stinking tough...but we made it work and somehow we managed to get by.

I understand all of this and I don't criticize anybody because they work...but why oh why do people feel the need to criticize our decision for me to be a stay at home mom. Why do they seem to think that all I do is sit on my butt all day long at home? Why do they feel the need to tell me that I don't really work? Why do they feel the need to tell me that I am so lucky my husband has such an awesome job that I don't need to work? How in the world do any of them know what a day in my shoes is like, how do any of them know what my husband actually makes as a teacher (which by the way is one of the poorest paying professional jobs out there but one with a high education cost...just check out our student loan payments each month if you don't believe me) and that he makes enough for us to be "lucky" for me not to have to work....try disciplined more like it....we don't spend money like it is water.

I don't ever regret our decision for me to stay home with my kids. My kids are good kids (Okay, I think that they are Great kids but I may be a little biased) My kids are honor students, they have a strong faith, they excel in athletics and they are extremely thoughtful and caring to others. Yes, they would probably be this way even if I did work outside the home but I really like to think that my staying home and being there for them had a little something to do with it. (I really do think it actually had a lot to do with it but......)

Okay, I vented, I rambled but I was seriously hurt and offended yesterday. Of course after I got home I had thought of a million things I could have responded to her with but me being who I am I thought of them too late. I guess I would just like people to think before they open their mouths. That would be in a dream society I guess.

So if you made it here and you made it through all of my ramblings I just wanted to say thanks for stopping by today. Have a great one!!

I have been busy working on the wrestler's blankets that we are giving them at the banquet on Sunday....remind me in the future not to have such brilliant ideas!! No, actually they aren't too bad to work on and they are really, really cool looking but it seems like as soon as I sit down to stitch I have a million interruptions and one very white cat that feels it is necessary to sit on my lap!! Yes, white cat hair on red and blue fleece blankets is not very attractive!! I have 2 more left to do but today I had to work on a scrappy project. Thank goodness for that because I soooo needed to feel some paper!!

The Shaker Box is having their Grand Re-opening Crop this weekend....starting tonight actually at 6pm. As part of the DT I get to host a challenge so.....I love making recipes (now for those of you who really know me you are probably laughing pretty hard right now....cause you all know how much I hate to cook!! (smile)) but nope, this kind of recipe is totally paper related. I list certain things that need to be on the layout. Then everybody uses the recipe to come up with their own project. It always amazes me how you can all have the "same" items on your layout but have completely different looking ones in the end. Anyways, here is a sneak peek at the layout I did for my challenge....if you want to see the rest of it then you have to go over to The Shaker Box and join in the crop!! I am offering a RAK as well for one lucky participant who cooks up my recipe and I know that there will also be lots and lots of other prizes and give aways all weekend. So hop on by and have yourself a look.



Tomorrow we are going to PA for yet another volleyball tournament. Thankfully this is just a one day deal and we shouldn't be home too late. And after this one we only have 2 more tournaments left. I can't believe how awfully fast this season has gone by!

And one more sign of spring here in NY is that the baseball season officially started this week. Of course those boys are probably not going to see an actual field to practice on for a few more weeks (you see, we still have mounds and mounds of snow on the ground) but hey...it is a start isn't it. Abby has the countdown for baseball in Myrtle Beach already. I haven't asked her yet what we are down to cause I know it will be here awfully soon and I still have about a hundred things I need to get done before then. Maybe I should have her tell me so that it might light a fire under my butt....(smile)

Thanks for stopping by and I hope that everybody is getting a chance to feel some nice springtime weather this week!!

I am totally whipped! The poor girls played over 20 games this weekend...I seriously lost count after 20 and my brain was so shot that I couldn't even try to figure out how many they actually did play. They ended up taking first in their bracket which sounds more glamorous then it really was but let us just say that when push comes to shove these girls CAN make it happen. And I am so proud of them for that! Abby totally rocked this weekend...well more so on Sunday. Saturday it didn't seem like the girls were very in tune with each other but my goodness on Sunday Abby, Michelle and Amy just rocked. I don't know the exact number of kills that Abby had because I lost count of that too....but just about every time they set her the ball she nailed it. Unfortunately for a couple of girls on the opposing teams she nailed it right in their face. Daddy was oh so proud!!

We left here on Friday afternoon and didn't get back home until late last night. Lots of driving and sitting and driving and sitting. A little bit of pool time and lots of eating fast food. My tummy will take a few days to recover from that. I am looking forward to a home cooked meal tonight. Our hotel was kind of stinky....lots of problems with heaters and elevators and can you believe this....no hot tub!!It did have one major attraction though.... a Target half a second away!! It also had a Michaels and I was so excited to see that but alas....I only had time to hit Target that first night for a few minutes and was unable to muster up enough energy to hit Michaels later on in the weekend. Oh well, my pocket book is probably much better off because of it!!

We got to spend some time with Maddie on Saturday which was very good for my soul. I miss that girl so much!! She looks great and she is always the person I can go to to make me giggle in times of stress....and we had lots of times of stress this weekend. I just can't wait to spend the week with her in Myrtle Beach....counting down the days!!

Today I am going to try and regroup and work on these fleece blankets that we had made for the wrestlers and coaches. They are pretty hot and I will have to show you them when I am finished.

Oh, and I have to share this too....a few years ago one of my friends was killed in an automobile accident...it was a really tough time for all of us. I babysat her daughter and our families are really very close. Anyways, they did an article about her and Elysia (her daughter) in the paper today....relating to a memorial fund raiser in Xylia's honor. I thought that it was pretty neat.