tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137821752024-03-07T18:34:19.911-06:00The Pedal on the RightMy life in fast-forward. Enjoy the ride!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger281125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-5869246513512751512016-01-08T15:41:00.003-06:002016-01-08T15:41:39.789-06:00Follow me on BloglovinI may be dusting this old thing off; only time will tell...<br />
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/5874895/?claim=q7uj33jtwxy">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-61143854417898287072013-12-31T13:15:00.001-06:002013-12-31T13:15:16.171-06:00So, I disappeared for a year...I've been struggling with whether to resurrect this blog or not, and I seriously doubt any readers are still around, based on the statistics I receive weekly. At the beginning of 2013, I wasn't in a great place, and didn't really have anything to say. I don't post on Twitter anymore and have somewhat limited what I post on Facebook, but still read blogs on a daily basis. <br />
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I just read my last post, and my viewpoint hasn't changed an incredible amount. We have had some positive changes around here, so I feel like things are moving in a good direction for me. I found a new job this summer and started in August, and I feel like that has made a huge difference in my outlook on life. While I enjoyed the patients, and my employer outside of work, we just couldn't work together anymore. I felt like no matter how hard I worked, it was never good enough, and the morale in the office was just so low. I also really missed being off with my kids. After being on the school schedule for so many years, it's really hard not to be. <br />
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So, I went to my school district's job fair in the spring, and was really discouraged after attending. There were two school nurse positions available, and a list of applicants a mile long. I interviewed for a position at a private school that went to a teacher's family member, interviewed at a local daycare (didn't even finish the interview once I found out what the pay was), and resigned myself to the fact that I would be stuck in my job forever. Then, at the end of June, I was browsing job openings for the school district, and there was one that had just posted. I applied for it, and was called the next day to schedule an interview. I prepared like crazy for the interview, and it consumed my every waking thought for days. I felt like it was my last chance to get out of a bad situation, and wanted to do everything that I could to ensure that it went well.<br />
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I felt like the interview went well, but a week went by and I didn't hear anything from them. Of course, my confidence diminished by the day. Finally, the principal called and offered me the job, and I gave a month's notice at my then-current job that evening. It was so hard to wait out that month, knowing that my life was going to get easier. I would have a definite time that I was getting off work daily, wouldn't have to work when the kids were in school, and getting a nice raise.<br />
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Halfway through the school year, I can honestly say that I love my job. My co-workers are great, most of the people at my school are happy, and no one yells at me. My commute is a lot longer, but it's not a stressful drive, and that is my "me time" to decompress and listen to music. Everyone around me has noticed that I am happier and more relaxed, and I have more of a desire to socialize, do crafty things, and not just come home and sit in a chair. Having two weeks off for Christmas break is a definite plus, as well! <br />
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As far as the kids are concerned, one started kindergarten and one started junior high this year. That's been a big change, but it's going well. The kindergartener stays for after-school care at her school and takes dancing once a week. She has learned all of her sight words and is anxious to learn how to read. The seventh-grader is running cross country, and can run six miles like it's nothing. He's doing great in band, has just about earned his Life rank in Scouts, and most importantly, has become so much more responsible this year. He's making A's and B's in tough classes, including pre-AP pre-Algebra, and seems happy.<br />
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Another big change for us is that we decided back in June that we need to sell our house. We have accumulated a lot of debt from me going back to school and not working for three years, and we have a lot of equity in our house. We need a bigger house, and it's a seller's market here. We have been slowly working on getting the house ready to sell since the summer, and are almost at the point where we might be able to put it on the market. The only problem is finding something that we want to buy in our price range and in the right school zone. Hopefully the stars will align for us early next year.<br />
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Since I am turning 40 in 2014, I have decided this is the year that I am going to stop talking about running, reading about running, and pinning things on Pinterest about running. I can't run more than 100 feet right now, but I want to run a 5K before the year is over. Who wants to join me? <br />
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If you still read this blog, please drop me a line to let me know I'm not alone here. Happy New Year!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-47894596621080046322013-01-05T22:17:00.002-06:002013-01-05T22:17:48.046-06:00This year I resolve to...<br />
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I don't believe in New Year's resolutions, and have never made them. However, I am at a point where I feel like I need to make some changes in my life in order to be a happier person. I am not happy with my weight, don't exercise, and don't always eat the greatest. By the time I get home from work, the last thing I want to do most nights is cook dinner for the family. So, we end up eating a lot of prepackaged, convenience food. This year, I'd like to improve the quality of what I feed my family, drink more water, and start exercising, at least occasionally. I'd love to say that I would take up running, and I've always wanted to be a runner, but the reality is that I am just not that motivated, and can't run more than 100 feet at a time. So, a more realistic goal would be that I will start walking, riding my bike, or maybe going to the gym (that I don't currently belong to).</div>
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I also would like to start doing more with friends. We used to have a large group of friends that we hung out with fairly regularly, and for whatever reason, we don't really have anyone who we hang out with anymore. Our neighbors don't get together, I don't have a whole lot in common with most of the women in the community where we live, we don't go to church, and don't do playdates, so there is limited opportunity to make friends. I'd like to change that, have a group of friends to socialize with, and I sure would love to have a BFF. I haven't had one of those in a very long time. </div>
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One last thing that I have been wanting to do for a long time is to get back to having a creative outlet. I need creativity in my life, and used to scrapbook or craft on a regular basis. Since I went back to school, I haven't been able to make the time to do fun, crafty things, and I'd like to change that. I have tons of craft/scrapbooking supplies, and I need to get them out and do something with them. Pinning crafty things on Pinterest isn't enough for me anymore...</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-44960629145973481172012-11-08T06:38:00.003-06:002012-11-08T06:43:01.133-06:00Random Thoughts of a Five-Year-OldI really need to do a better job of recording the musings of my little princess, because they are hilarious. <br />
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Tuesday night, she was very upset that Mommy voted without her. Yesterday morning, we had a discussion about the election, and she was concerned that both candidates weren't able to win. She didn't think that was fair.<br />
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Last night as I was getting her ready to take a shower, she decided that she was ready to get her ears pierced, and I talked her through the process, as we do them at my office. I explained that we would use numbing cream on her ears, she wanted to know what it was like, and I explained that it was just like lotion. She then proceeded to rub lotion on her ears and was upset that we couldn't put her earrings in at that exact moment.<br />
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Seconds later, she announced that she was going to be a teacher when she grows up, and will have children named Alana Charlie and Darren Toby Skyler. The first names are mine and her dad's, and Charlie and Toby are the names of the youngest children on the Disney show "Good Luck, Charlie". I'm not sure where Skyler comes from.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-42050457716445930322012-10-29T22:41:00.000-05:002012-10-29T22:41:44.479-05:00What a day...Today was crazy at work! All of the kids got sick over the weekend with the cooler weather we are having, and needed to be seen today. Besides that, the phones were ringing off the hook all day. <br />
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My poor parents, along with my aunt and uncle, took the auto train from Orlando to DC yesterday, and ended up having to leave the city today. I feel so bad for them; they have been looking forward to this trip for a long time, and my parents don't usually have to worry about hurricanes when they travel. Now, they're in Charlotte, NC, and will head to my sister's in SC tomorrow until the weekend. <br />
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After work, I took the princess shopping for jackets, and for the remainder of my Halloween costume. I'll be rocking my Jostens Class of '92 t-shirt and a scrunchie in my hair on Wednesday. I needed appropriate shoes, a skirt, big hoop earrings, and some leggings to complete the ensemble. I draw the line at cutting bangs, though.<br />
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This evening, both of my kids managed to stop up a toilet, and when Darren went to turn off the water to the downstairs toilet (our newest one), the cutoff valve broke off in his hand. After the bathroom started flooding, I managed to turn off the water to the house, but it kept pouring out of the wall. We soaked several towels and sucked up some of the flood with the Shop Vac before Darren felt it was safe to leave and go to Wal-Mart for toilet parts. <br />
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So, it's now 10:30 at night, we have no water, and we have two toilets full of poop. I'd love to be able to do laundry or wash the dishes; something useful while I'm waiting on the boys, but instead I'm feeling pretty useless. Tomorrow has to be better...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-60308768437000938312012-09-23T12:58:00.000-05:002012-09-23T12:58:23.577-05:00Shocked and sad...<a href="http://hansjourney.blogspot.com/">Hans </a>lost his battle with Neuroblastoma on Friday. He was Zachary's best friend, our neighbor for most of his life, and he fought a long and courageous battle with a nasty cancer for nearly six years. I wish I could be in California right now to hug his parents and sister! He is one of the reasons why I chose to be a pediatric nurse, and why I choose to volunteer with the <a href="http://laylagrace.org/">Layla Grace Foundation</a>.<br />
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If you feel so inclined, Hans' family is asking for people to donate to the Children's Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation, who made some of Hans' treatment possible, <a href="http://www.cncfparks.org/help-a-child/park/21/">here</a>. There are many other children like Hans still fighting, and they need all of the help they can get!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-6991618945058570072012-05-19T10:45:00.001-05:002012-05-19T10:45:30.881-05:00Just Keep Swimming...<blockquote><blockquote></blockquote></blockquote>
I really suck at the whole work/life balance thing. I work more than 40 hours per week, with few exceptions. On weeknights, by the time I leave work, sit in traffic to pick Zoe up at daycare, come home and help Zach with homework, figure out what to serve for dinner/go to Scouts, etc...I am exhausted. Therefore, I do almost no housework during the week, and on the weekends, have to decide between doing something fun with the kids or cleaning/laundry/grocery shopping. There has to be a better way to do this. I don't exercise, don't really socialize, and have no hobbies beside reading. I miss doing things with friends and scrapbooking. Summer starts for the kids in a couple of weeks, and we are going to have babysitter at our house, so at least I won't have to feel guilty about the kids being in daycare all day. They will be able to walk to the neighborhood pool, and Zach will still be able to play with his friends in the neighborhood. Plus, it will save me a 30-minute round trip drive in the evenings, and I will be able to have lunch with the kids on most weekdays. That will be really nice!
We are also hoping to take a cruise this summer. We haven't booked yet, but for now, we are planning to take the same Carnival cruise out of New Orleans on the Conquest that Darren and I took eight years ago. This time, we'll have the kids, so I suspect there will be less relaxing, but it will be our first vacation with just our little family. I can't wait!
Zach moved up to Boy Scouts in February, and we are having such a good time with it. The troop we joined has a lot of parent involvement, and we were made to feel very welcome. Zach really enjoys it, and has made a lot of good friends. He is going off to camp for a week in June with the boys; that makes me nervous, but I think he will have a wonderful time.
I will try my very best to post some pictures soon; hopefully it won't be another 8 months before you hear from me again.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-49509925359612353372011-10-09T20:17:00.002-05:002011-10-09T20:17:33.861-05:00In the last three months...I have:
--Left my home health job and started one in pediatrics that I absolutely love
--Become the mother of a fifth-grader who is in intermediate school
--Thrown a Super Mario Brothers birthday party for a 10-year-old and a Little Mermaid party for a 4-year-old
--Become a soccer and ballet mom
--Still did not manage to take a vacation, nor do I have one planned
--Tried to exercise, but that has only happened sporadically
--Started cooking more
--Started our last year in Cub Scouts, as a Webelos II den leader
--Pinned lots of things to my boards on Pinterest that I will hopefully get to do someday
--Still not conquered the clutter in my house that seems to multiply daily
Yeah, I guess that's about it. I have lots of pictures that are still on my camera, and lots of ideas for blog posts that are in my head. I'll get there, someday...I am much busier than when I was a full-time student, but at least I get to spend more time with my family.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-73303823377095467372011-07-23T12:14:00.000-05:002011-07-23T12:14:22.536-05:00Where has the summer gone?Wow, I blinked, and school starts in a month. Where did the time go? We spent June hanging out at home, with the exception of a week at Cub Scout daycamp, and a few days in Louisiana to visit my parents. Then, things sped up at an amazing rate. <br />
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I took the NCLEX exam to become a Registered Nurse on June 28th, found out that I had passed on the 30th, and decided to go out to dinner to celebrate. I ran into one of my nursing school friends at the restaurant, and she told me about a job opportunity. She had been hired by a home health agency, and they were looking for one more person in our area. I sent them a copy of my resume that night, and the owner called me the next morning and hired me over the phone. <br />
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That was Friday, July 1st. My parents came in that weekend to celebrate the holiday, and we participated in two of the local events. We went to the free patriotic concert that The Woodlands puts on each year at the Mitchell Pavilion, and marched in The Woodlands' parade on Monday morning with our Cub Scout pack. I'll get around to uploading photos eventually.<br />
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Tuesday, July 5th, I started work, and the kids started daycare. If you know me, I don't like to rush into things, and I like to think things through before committing to them. I was so worried that I had rushed into this job, but after sending out 80+ resumes and only having two interviews, I decided that I had better take this opportunity.<br />
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Things have been a little hectic around our house since I started working. I leave the house around 6:45 to make it to the office by 8:00, and Darren gets the kids up and takes them to daycare. I either spend time in the office doing paperwork, or ride along with one of the other nurses, seeing their patients. I leave the office by 5:00 in order to make it to daycare to pick the kids up by 6:30. Some days I can't make it in time, so Darren has to leave work to get the kids in time. It can be stressful at times, knowing that I have a 45-mile drive, and hoping that the traffic gods cooperate. A helicopter would make the commute so much easier, but no one has offered me one yet, unfortunately.<br />
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Once I finish my training, the plan is that I will be seeing patients in my area, and will only have to drive to the office once every two weeks, for supplies and my paycheck. I am really enjoying the job, and am learning so much every day. Most of the patients are very grateful for our help, and I know that I am really making a difference. I like the fact that I will not have to work nights, weekends, or holidays, and I will have the opportunity to see different people and not be stuck inside all day. <br />
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Since I am gone for so long every day, we don't do a whole lot in the evenings during the week. Weekends are reserved for catching up on sleep, cleaning, washing clothes, and grocery shopping. I try to do as much as I can to make our lives easier during the week, and I know that things will get easier once I am in the field in our area.<br />
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I would really like to be going somewhere on vacation this summer, but Darren never seems to be able to get away from work, and loses several vacation days each year. We're talking about a trip in October, which would be wonderful. Zach is leaving tomorrow to go spend two weeks with my parents, and they will be taking a vacation to Tennessee with my sister and her family. Once he returns, there will only be two weeks until school starts. I'm not looking forward to the craziness that the beginning of school brings. Zach is playing the trumpet in the band this year, and we've already bought a used one. We ordered school supplies from the school, so I don't have to deal with that headache. The next hurdle is planning his birthday party, which is the Saturday after school starts. We have the Game Truck coming, and we're thinking about a Super Mario Bros. theme. It should be fun. More updates soon...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-15794340053241239822011-06-11T23:19:00.000-05:002011-06-11T23:19:25.133-05:00And the winner is...Comment #12, Heather R. I used random.org to generate the winning number, but I am not savvy enough to be able to show you that on here. Congratulations, Heather! I'll be emailing you the code to download the software. <br />
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Thanks everyone for playing! If you are still interested in purchasing the My Memories <a href="http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software">digital scrapbooking software,</a> you can use the discount code on the right to receive $10 off the regular price. I hope to have another giveaway to share with you soon.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-71199358677834432502011-06-06T16:02:00.003-05:002011-06-11T23:24:21.643-05:00My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking GiveawayI've been "into" scrapbooking since 1998. I go through periods where I spend a lot of time creating album pages, and other periods where I either collect scrapbooking supplies, or just wish that I had time to work on my albums. For the past three years, I've been in school full-time, and there has been no time to think about doing anything creative. I really miss it, because it relaxes me. I take a lot of pictures, and haven't ordered prints in over a year, because I knew that I wasn't going to have time to deal with them. I've been looking forward to graduation, because I was finally going to have time to scrapbook again. <br />
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I was contacted by the company <a href="http://www.mymemories.com">My Memories</a> and asked to review their <a href="http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software.">digital scrapbooking software</a>, called My Memories Suite. I was very excited, because so few of those kinds of products are compatible with my ancient iMac, and this one is. It is extremely easy and fun to use, and with it, you can create digital scrapbooks, cards, calendars, and more. <br />
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Here are some album pages that I put together in about an hour. I didn't buy any extra embellishments; I just used what came with the software. I uploaded my photos into the software, plugged them into the pre-made album pages, and added some text. Once I was finished, I exported the pages as JPEG images to my desktop so that I could share them here. Easy!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjqmSBz99PSjEP6S8npilLJA6IhwA_-00fUur6KjW1Wf0cQm5TBCL1CEJrvipK6bexzLd8LvCAXJWDGtKmmOovl97tGZE9KJ6E6zHUPZkxv_ml7ZFyROBDsq4ySH4n5KtTDT_L/s1600/Fall+Album-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjqmSBz99PSjEP6S8npilLJA6IhwA_-00fUur6KjW1Wf0cQm5TBCL1CEJrvipK6bexzLd8LvCAXJWDGtKmmOovl97tGZE9KJ6E6zHUPZkxv_ml7ZFyROBDsq4ySH4n5KtTDT_L/s320/Fall+Album-001.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FGHSPo-VolNW5d_xQ_j4tKzEtoYh_9O6X2jrDqJWHtfQydoUccm4Dnvf5hMt3TPhXBjCOu7R6QJiiugh7qeKP7lKTnmMSRBwmI52mIo8tdjIcStfYeamk94qj1fxUG2VWAM3/s1600/Fall+Album-003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FGHSPo-VolNW5d_xQ_j4tKzEtoYh_9O6X2jrDqJWHtfQydoUccm4Dnvf5hMt3TPhXBjCOu7R6QJiiugh7qeKP7lKTnmMSRBwmI52mIo8tdjIcStfYeamk94qj1fxUG2VWAM3/s320/Fall+Album-003.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHH6ProvaOUObjag5zTRwqWHeH6D-7BMX15OXlR8uFJEtdG_C_ZXV7DMTLLECybqGrQocusfXQ52BodAbM-Xngk4k6xSDaVpoEwqw9fda-_lYSYGgMWlO4g5aR5ljvEcvFf439/s1600/Fall+Album-005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHH6ProvaOUObjag5zTRwqWHeH6D-7BMX15OXlR8uFJEtdG_C_ZXV7DMTLLECybqGrQocusfXQ52BodAbM-Xngk4k6xSDaVpoEwqw9fda-_lYSYGgMWlO4g5aR5ljvEcvFf439/s320/Fall+Album-005.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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The My Memories Suite software comes with many professionally-designed scrapbook templates, or you can create your own design. It comes with different pages and embellishments to make your album special, and you can also make it an interactive experience by adding music, video, or narration, then sharing it with others on Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, or on a DVD. You can even view your album on an iPod. Check out all of the features <a href="http://www.mymemories.com/mms/scrapbook_software">here</a>. <br />
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My Memories has its own <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/MyMemoriesSuite">YouTube channel</a>, and here is a short video that explains some of the features of the software:<br />
<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/s4Di3QXV16A" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> They also have a <a href="http://blog.mymemories.com/">blog</a>, a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/mymemoriessuite?ref=ts">Facebook page</a> with tutorials, and are on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/tweets4suites.com">Twitter</a>.<br />
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The digital scrapbooking software is available as a download by going <a href="http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software">here</a>, and as a special promotion, readers of my blog receive $10 off the regular price of $39.97, by using the code <b>STMMMS19139</b> at check-out. Each download also comes with $10 in coupons to purchase additional digital paper packs or layouts.<br />
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I am also doing a giveaway of the software. One lucky reader of this blog will win a free copy of the My Memories Suite. Entering is easy; visit the My Memories website, <a href="http://www.mymemories.com">www.MyMemories.com</a>, and check out the digital paper packs and layouts that are on the site. For one entry, leave a comment on this post with your favorite layout or digital paper pack. I am also offering additional entries in the giveaway; please leave these as separate comments. You get one additional entry for "liking" My Memories on Facebook, one for following them on Twitter, and one for being a new follower of this blog, so each person can get up to four entries in the giveaway. <br />
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The giveaway will run from Tuesday, June 7th-Saturday, June 11th at 10:00 PM CDT, when I will announce the winner. Please make sure I have an email address to contact you if you are the winner.<br />
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This giveaway is linked with:<br />
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<a href="http://giveaways.tipjunkie.com"><img src="http://giveaways.tipjunkie.com/images/TJ_free-stuff-button.gif" border="0" /></a><br />
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<i>Disclaimer: as compensation for doing this review/giveaway, I received a free copy of the My Memories Suite software.</i><br />
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Update: Heather R, comment #12, was the winner. Thanks so much for entering!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-82488772391769652252011-05-23T01:37:00.000-05:002011-05-23T01:37:13.512-05:00Great Weekend!It was so strange to have a weekend where I didn't have to worry about studying! Friday night, I had a girls' night out with some of the women in my neighborhood. Traffic was crazy around The Woodlands, because the <a href="http://www.ironmantexas.com">Ironman Texas</a> was scheduled for Saturday, and Town Center was the hub of all of the activity. So, we had a hard time getting into Town Center to meet everyone at <a href="http://www.thecrushbar.com">Crush</a>. I had never been there, and was very excited to see what it was like. They have a really cook rooftop bar, and we hung out there with some drinks and appetizers. We were supposed to walk over to Tinseltown to see Something Borrowed, but didn't end up making it to the movie on time. So, Plan B was go to the <a href="http://www.thegoosesacre.com">Goose's Acre</a> for more drinks, and I had dessert, as well. Some of the women wanted to go out dancing, but I was ready to head home by 10:30. What can I say; I'm getting old!<br />
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Saturday, we decided that we wanted to try to go and watch as much of the Ironman Texas as we could. The swim in Lake Woodlands started at 6:50, and we realized there was no way we were hauling the kids out of the house that early in the morning. We ended up riding our bikes up to Woodlands Parkway right before noon, and were able to catch the first 50 or so bike riders as they headed back to Town Center from their 112 mile bike ride. I can't imagine riding that far on my bike! We went home, ate lunch, packed up some provisions, and hopped back on our bikes for the ride to Market Street around 3:00. We had to navigate past spectators and the Ironman participants in the running portion of the race, and were able to grab a spot along the wall near the finish line. We watched the first participant from The Woodlands cross the finish line, as well as a few other people, then the kids started begging to go home. The bike ride took us about an hour, and with a 36-pound child in the seat behind me, I feel like I worked almost as hard as some of the Ironman competitors. Zoe napped in her seat on the way home; must be nice! Last night, we were so worn out from our bike ride that we called it an early night.<br />
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Today was the <a href="http://www.orangeshow.org/art-car/">Art Car Parade</a> in Houston. We've only been once before, and decided that we wanted to take the kids to go and watch it. We made it downtown a little late, and by the time we found parking and walked to where we could watch the parade, car number 142 was passing us. We did manage to see over 100 cars, and about an hour's worth of parade time, so that was more than enough for us, especially with the heat. The kids really seemed to enjoy it, and I took lots of pictures. After the parade, we wandered around Sam Houston Park. The kids chased the pigeons, I admired the ducklings in the pond, and the kids played in the sand where there was an event earlier. Afterward, we drove around Houston for a little while, and headed home to get on with our Sunday evening chores.<br />
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It was such a nice weekend that I didn't want it to end. We didn't worry about cleaning the house, grocery shopping, or doing laundry, and I didn't have to hole myself up anywhere to study. Bliss!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-37865391078145611462011-05-20T13:13:00.001-05:002011-05-23T01:20:08.333-05:00Follow me on PinterestI've been having a lot of fun playing on Pinterest this week. If I could figure out how to add a button to this blog, or how to do <i>any</i> designing on my blog for that matter, I would add one in the sidebar. Since I can't figure that out, you can see my Pinterest boards <a href="http://pinterest.com/alanaransley/">here</a>. If you want an invitation to <a href="http://pinterest.com">Pinterest</a>, email me, and I'll send you one. It's very addictive, and I love looking at all of the beautiful things that other people are pinning.<br />
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Edit: I finally figured out how to add a Pinterest button, since that's where I have been spending too much timeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-90906041171661233432011-05-17T17:41:00.000-05:002011-05-17T17:41:23.443-05:00Free Summer Subway Art PrintableI have been playing around with subway art for a while, and downloading freebies as I find them for the different seasons. Since I am finished with school, I want to celebrate by decorating my home for summer. This is printable (I have an 8x10 frame, so I will print it at 8.5x11 and trim), and you are welcome to use it to decorate your home for summer. I know it's nothing fancy, but I like the cheery colors. Enjoy! <a title="View Summer Subway Art on Scribd" href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/55667211/Summer-Subway-Art" style="margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block; text-decoration: underline;">Summer Subway Art</a><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/55667211/content?start_page=1&view_mode=list&access_key=key-pcfatmix3jtapxi8k2u" data-auto-height="true" data-aspect-ratio="0.772727272727273" scrolling="no" id="doc_86601" width="100%" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">(function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "http://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })();</script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-42067763459320941892011-05-05T17:19:00.002-05:002011-05-05T17:19:17.871-05:00Wow!In one week, I will be a nursing school graduate, AKA a Graduate Nurse. Since I have no job prospects on the horizon, I can't wait to return to doing things that I enjoy, like scrapbooking, cooking real dinners, reading books for pleasure, and blogging. I hope to see you soon!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-42481869257465206612011-03-19T13:36:00.000-05:002011-03-19T13:36:59.632-05:00It's the Crystals, Mommy!I really need to get better about documenting all of the funny things that Zoe does. She is hilarious, and has a great imagination. She loves to dress up, and pretend different things. We've had to put a padlock on her dress-up trunk, and lock her closet, because she'd change outfits ten times a day if we didn't. <br />
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Anyway, as I was sitting in front of the computer today, summoning the energy and desire to do some schoolwork, Zoe came into the office, and I noticed there was something sticky on her arms and in her hair. I asked her what it was, and she said, "It's the crystals, Mommy!". I asked her to show me the crystals, and she led me to our downstairs half-bath. Under the sink was a bottle of hand soap, and she had apparently decided that it was pretty, and needed to adorn herself with it. She was so proud of herself that I didn't have the heart to tell her what she did was wrong.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-63358952463017053402011-02-21T20:22:00.002-06:002011-02-21T20:22:17.783-06:00New Orleans tripI have so much to write about my trip to New Orleans, but schoolwork is calling my name. For now, here is a slideshow of my pictures from last weekend. If you view them on Flickr, there are descriptions for most of them. Enjoy!<br />
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This semester is supposed to be all about preparing us for the transition from the role of the student to the professional nurse, and they cover resume writing, as well as do their best to prepare us for the HESI, which is a standardized test that we will take in mid-April. We have to pass that test in order to graduate, as well as to sit for our national boards this summer. <br />
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I have three classes this semester: theory, which is our lecture course, an online jurisprudence class that helps us to pass a jurisprudence exam (another requirement, by the state, I think), and clinical. We no longer have a lab class; we've learned all of the lab skills that they deem are important, and are supposed to be ready to practice any of them in the hospital. Let me tell you a secret; I learned how to start IVs from a 7-minute YouTube video, and I have practiced once in the lab on a severed arm from a mannequin. That arm bled all over the place, because I guess I didn't do it right. There is no way that I am ready to start an IV on a real live human, so I am planning to practice in the lab to hone my skills first.<br />
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Like I tell myself every semester, I am going to try my hardest to better manage my time, keep up with the kids and the house, and spend less time on Facebook. I do have the added pressure of needing to study for the HESI this semester, and look for a job, so I am sure I will have an even harder time sleeping than I normally do.<br />
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I am hoping that six months from now, I am gainfully employed in a job that I enjoy, and look forward to going to. I keep wavering back and forth as to which department I want to work in, but I think I will just be happy to quickly get a job. I really thought about pursuing a school nurse position, or a position in a doctor's office, but neither of those jobs will pay what I need to make to climb out of the debt that I have put us in the past couple of years, and one of the reasons that I left teaching (not one of the main ones) was that I didn't want to work 40 hours a week anymore. Sure, I won't get weekends, summers, and holidays off, but I only have to work 3 days a week, which means I will get at least two days a week where I will be home alone. Bliss! Maybe that means I'll once again have time for regular hobbies.<br />
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For now, I have to keep myself busy with printing out PowerPoint presentations and completing the assigned reading. May 11th, here I come!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-4128116226026185752011-01-12T17:01:00.001-06:002011-01-13T13:06:24.716-06:00Serenity Now!My dear son has a science take-home test with 34 problems on it that is due tomorrow. I guess it was assigned on Monday, and they were supposed to complete 10 questions a night. I discovered it by accident in his backpack yesterday, after he informed me that he didn't have homework, and left to go play with friends. <br />
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Speaking of the backpack/binder: there is a mess of papers in there, but I get yelled at every time I try to go through there and sort it out. I made him a folder with labeled pockets for classwork and homework, and there is a student planner that he is supposed to be writing assignments in, but he rarely does. So, I guess I have no choice but to let him continue being messy and disorganized. He makes As and Bs, and always has his work completed to turn in, so I guess he's doing an acceptable job.<br />
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Back to the science packet: Zach worked on it with his dad last night after our Cub Scout meeting, but they made no progress, and Darren informed him that he needed to try to work on it at school today, and he would have to sit down and work on it until it was complete after school today. <br />
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Zach came home today, complained about the unfair punishment that he received from a teacher for stopping and waiting for a friend while he was supposed to be walking laps at recess, then sat down to work. After the second item that he could only give me a silly answer for, I asked him what resource he was supposed to be using to complete this thing. He responded that he was supposed to use his science textbook and journal, but that he didn't bring either of those things home tonight. I informed him that my brain was not going to be the resource that he used to answer all of the questions, because I think that was his plan, and told him that I will be happy to check his completed work, or help him with a difficult problem that he has attempted and been unable to answer, but he is on his own besides that.<br />
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When did children become such helpless hand raisers? That was something that I had a big problem with when I was teaching fifth grade. Students would look at a problem for a second, decide it was too hard, and immediately raise their hands for assistance. What ever happened to trying your hardest on something, and figuring it out on your own, by looking it up in a book or using your brain? Children these days seem to give up too easily, which really scares me. <br />
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I know I should help my child with his homework, and I do, but I don't think it's my duty to teach a concept, or supply the answers to problems. Instead, I try to steer him toward the correct answer, or toward a resource for answering the problem. I prefer that he does his work, and I go over it with him afterward. If he does not get a perfect grade on a homework assignment, I am okay with that, because it should be a reflection of his work, not mine.<br />
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When I was a teacher (which was only two and a half years ago), the homework that we assigned had to be a review of what was taught in class, not a new concept, and I always took the time to explain each homework assignment, work the first problem with students, and give them an opportunity to ask questions. If that is going on in Zach's class, I don't think he is paying attention. <br />
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So, it's going to be hard for both of us, but I am going to let him sit at the table and work on the packet on his own. He has a dictionary to look up unfamiliar words, and I will look in on him periodically, but he needs to figure this out on his own. After all, I am not at school with him to hold his hand and answer each question during class.<br />
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It could be a long night...<br />
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***Update: I took Zachary to the public library after dinner, and helped him to look up the answers in the encyclopedia, and in some other reference books. Sure, he could have Googled the answers, but I wanted him to learn how to really look for them. The librarian wanted to know why I didn't just let him look up the answers in an online encyclopedia, but I thought that was too easy. In the process, Zach discovered some nonfiction books that he was interested in checking out (he's not a big reader), and came home and started reading. In the end, everyone was happy, and the work was done.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-54390618579679606602010-12-29T17:13:00.000-06:002010-12-29T17:13:04.326-06:00The Great Wreath-Making ProjectWe've had the same Christmas wreath forever, and I saw several ideas in magazines and in blogs that I wanted to try to make this year. One of them (can't remember exactly where) said to take old ornaments and glue them on a wreath. Well, I didn't have enough old ornaments to spare, in the right colors, so I decided that I would just pick up some inexpensive ones to use. Four stores later, I found what I needed at Target. <br />
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The project sat around for a couple of weeks until I realized that I needed to make it, or save it for next year. Long story short, it took me two days to make and more containers of ornaments than I originally bought. I think it cost me about $50 to make, but I am happy with the result. <br />
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I started with a white styrofoam form that I began to paint silver, then decided not to bother. Some websites suggest using a straw wreath, or I'd consider using a green foam wreath that is softer, and the ornaments could possibly be pushed into it. All of the ornaments that I used are plastic, and I removed the caps from them. The ornaments are attached with hot glue, but I have a cool melt gun, and had to hold the ornaments that actually touched the wreath for a couple of minutes for them to set. Maybe it would have taken less time with a hotter glue gun? The ornaments in successive layers that only touched each other took a lot less time to set.<br />
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Once the wreath was complete, we didn't want it to fall off our front door and break, or have the impact of the door slamming cause the wreath to bang into it and damage it (our door is glass), so we hung it with a wreath hanger, plus fishing line wrapped around it and attached to the door with a suction cup, and finally foam that is hot-glued to the door. It doesn't move at all! <br />
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Here are some photos of the process and completed project:<br />
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When I am feeling like I want to do something creative, and time keeps me from actually producing anything, I have a bad habit of stockpiling supplies. This summer, I bought a Cricut machine, along with several cartridges, but didn't use it very much at all. For Christmas, I received a Gypsy, and I am looking forward to playing with it. <br />
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I really wanted to make some things for Halloween, but this was the semester from Hell for me, and I really don't remember October. For Thanksgiving, I managed to make a banner to hang on our fireplace. It's nothing that exciting, but for me, there was a great feeling of accomplishment.<br />
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For Christmas, I decided to make three different projects. First, there was the two-day wreath-making project, then the "beaded curtain", and finally a banner that I hung on my china cabinet. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz8D9fJvn5ATSJH9xOA06oPpD_5UqjdUx2DNAwAAQ4lJ5oabM4i4L-c70maPU3nmDbakZjUyyg_xt62mJc-xLP6vKPNnt13xmMquDRYWXmN1y69fX8NVah9i2V5Kx52TXaWJ31/s1600/IMG_1885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz8D9fJvn5ATSJH9xOA06oPpD_5UqjdUx2DNAwAAQ4lJ5oabM4i4L-c70maPU3nmDbakZjUyyg_xt62mJc-xLP6vKPNnt13xmMquDRYWXmN1y69fX8NVah9i2V5Kx52TXaWJ31/s320/IMG_1885.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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Sorry about the banner picture; I just realized that I never took a good one. It has four layers, and the lettering says, "Let it Snow". If I get a chance later, I'll write a post with just the wreath, because that was a massive undertaking.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-52139812102541551752010-11-30T21:28:00.001-06:002010-11-30T21:28:25.098-06:00Sneak Peek<div class="sflyProductPreviewWidget" style="width:425px; height:494px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetTop" style="height:6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/top.gif);"></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetCenter" style="height:482px; padding: 0 6px 0 6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bg.gif); background-repeat:repeat-y;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewLogo" style="width: 105px; height: 34px; padding: 14px 0 0 14px;"><img src="http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/logo.gif"></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewContainer" style="height:350px; text-align:center; padding: 0;"><a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery"><img src="http://images-community.shutterfly.com/prs/v1/0CcN27lmybsy/0CcN27lmybsycW/p/67b0de21b3127d902548/JPEG/1291173788000/0/"></a></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewMessageContainer" style="height:55px; background-color:#f4f4e9; text-align:center; padding: 15px 0 15px 0; line-height: 19px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewTitle" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 15px; color: #333333; font-weight: bold;"><span>Holiday Charms Christmas Card</span></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewSEOText" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px; color: #333333;"><span>Make a statement with custom <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery" style="color: #6666cc;">Christmas cards</a> at Shutterfly.</span></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewViewCollection" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px; color: #333333;"><span>View the entire <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery" style="color: #6666cc;">collection</a> of cards.</span></div><img width="1" height="1" border="0" src="https://os.shutterfly.com/b/ss/sflyshareprod/1/H.15/111?pageName=sharekey&c1=msc&c2=blogger" /></div></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetBottom" style="height:6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bottom.gif);"></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-79034766130751080042010-11-29T23:13:00.000-06:002010-11-29T23:13:13.136-06:00The End is Near!I am sure I have written this somewhere already, but I want to see it in writing again, to prove to myself that I have made it to the end of this awful semester, and am going to be 75% finished with nursing school.<br />
<br />
As of right now, I have:<br />
<ul><li> 3 more days of lecture</li>
<li>2 more lecture exams (one is a biggie)</li>
<li>1 more lab (my last new skill in nursing school-IV starts)</li>
<li>1 more clinical day (how happy that makes me!)</li>
</ul>I will be a free woman December 14th, around noon. The madness starts up again January 18th. Can't wait...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-19210185817458335992010-11-28T17:21:00.000-06:002010-11-28T17:21:31.102-06:00Say cheese!For years, I resisted the photo card for Christmas. I didn't have a really good reason, but preferred to send the non-photo type out. Now that we have kids, I have converted to the photo card. Sure, most of my friends and family are on Facebook, but not all of them are. Also, I have been really bad the past year or so about uploading photos to Facebook or here on my blog. <br />
<br />
I am planning to send out photo cards this year, but the problem is that Zoe will not look at a camera. So, posing both kids together is not an option. I learned my lesson last year when I dressed up both the kids, set up my child-sized rocking chair in front of the Christmas tree, and had Zach kneel next to the chair with his arm around it. Zoe would zoom in and out of the room, sometimes sitting in the chair for a second or so. I had to be ready with the camera, and after about 30 minutes, I did manage to get a decent shot. <br />
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This year, I am planning to use candid shots that were taken separately of the kids. We don't do family photos outside of the ones that the kids both take twice a year at school, but I am pretty good at taking pictures at any activity that we do. Shutterfly has some gorgeous card designs, and here are a few of my favorites:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoYqw999MXZnlEeRoLHScKKhp2zl5W6lnk3YsCyvN60ilGySlgGobcg4zCDUhwQhPvDBIS_8Ilz_VHNnDklA1Rz2MJScEAnNETkZUYTkGMgQ37NTOKuDrZKkqDQfnWSDIdgm9m/s1600/STATIONERYCARD_5x7-23046-2496-MERCHTHUMB-v128103996900023658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoYqw999MXZnlEeRoLHScKKhp2zl5W6lnk3YsCyvN60ilGySlgGobcg4zCDUhwQhPvDBIS_8Ilz_VHNnDklA1Rz2MJScEAnNETkZUYTkGMgQ37NTOKuDrZKkqDQfnWSDIdgm9m/s1600/STATIONERYCARD_5x7-23046-2496-MERCHTHUMB-v128103996900023658.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZ5cyYLmL3M2mj7UyDkkL8AC-1TKiPKdtTtrOqc1_7NK6SWifFl8ozujZSTyE20rG6XuKZ9DeN203ErFxdigEer0CooBI61xYnzJHmm4TlWLsAC774pM6Y05SQuSRZDRckzCE/s1600/STATIONERYCARD_5x7-23046-2550-MERCHTHUMB-v128874102600016250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZ5cyYLmL3M2mj7UyDkkL8AC-1TKiPKdtTtrOqc1_7NK6SWifFl8ozujZSTyE20rG6XuKZ9DeN203ErFxdigEer0CooBI61xYnzJHmm4TlWLsAC774pM6Y05SQuSRZDRckzCE/s1600/STATIONERYCARD_5x7-23046-2550-MERCHTHUMB-v128874102600016250.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQm_M9SwPYYQqZAJrUi8Rvx6sOvu1QaKUl0PqxTBSuWhtzrp17Hw-OI_Hfpj2zQMJRKiP9flZ-fltzy7yy4stmzXfNcZLfAv0i04Bd_2pta2d0j1n491yrdlxktpgyy65sKCfx/s1600/STATIONERYCARD_FOLDED_5x7-27137-2870-MERCHTHUMB-v128102550300019855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQm_M9SwPYYQqZAJrUi8Rvx6sOvu1QaKUl0PqxTBSuWhtzrp17Hw-OI_Hfpj2zQMJRKiP9flZ-fltzy7yy4stmzXfNcZLfAv0i04Bd_2pta2d0j1n491yrdlxktpgyy65sKCfx/s1600/STATIONERYCARD_FOLDED_5x7-27137-2870-MERCHTHUMB-v128102550300019855.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I haven't decided which ones I am going to use it; there are too many choices! Shutterfly also has all sorts of other products that would make great Christmas gifts. There are <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars/wall-calendars%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20">wall calendars</a>, <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/birthday-invitations">birthday invitations</a>, and all sorts of <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards">Christmas photo cards</a>. If you can imagine it, Shutterfly has it. Be sure to go and check out their website for their full range of products.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13782175.post-61538505563326566902010-11-22T10:09:00.000-06:002010-11-22T10:09:27.155-06:00Silhouette giveaway at Tatertots and JelloOne of my favorite crafty blogs, Tatertots and Jello, is giving away a Silhouette machine, and I would really like to win it. Go <a href="http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/2010/11/just-in-time-for-christmas-silhouette.html">here</a> to enter, and tell her I sent you!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0