My List of Life

I am: Jana

I think: about so much stuff that my mind sometimes wants to explode.

I know: my faith is strong.

I want: to feel secure.

I have: an addiction to scrapbook blogs, magazines, & challenges.

I dislike: parents who refuse to take the time and responsibility to be parents.

I miss: my family.

I fear: the state of the current economy.

I feel: tired from being worried.

I hear: the clickity clack of keyboards being used.

I smell: the hot mulled cider sitting on my desk top.

I crave: my scrapbook stuff...

I cry: when I think about wanting to have another child. It can be frustrating when others are being granted the wish you wish and you are left alone, waiting and hoping.

I usually: have at least 1 basket of laundry to fold.

I search: for balance in my life.

I wonder: what my child will be like when she grows up.

I regret: not really exploring what my career would be when I was young enough to do something about it.

I wish: my family got along better.

I love: my husband with all my heart, through better and worse.

I care: about my friends and how they are doing.

I always: check my email.

I worry: that the world I brought Annde into isn’t the best environment: there’s so much anger and hate and disease… but that will make her stronger, I think!

I am not: shy or afraid to express my opinion.

I remember: why I am proud to be an American, even if the political climate right now is making me nutso! I wish this election would be over already.

I believe: that every person is capable of amazing things. Most just forget that as they muddle day to day.

I sing: in the car. I don't care who sees me. I used to be good at it, now I’m just louder.

I don't always: think before I speak. Sometimes, it’s funny and other times, I get into trouble….

I argue: with my family. Sometimes its fun, sometimes its unintentional, sometimes its unhealthy, but most of the time, its second nature.

I write: to cleanse my mind and soul.

I win: or I will die trying. I am a little too competitive at times….

I lose: my sanity occasionally… along with my temper more often than I would like.

I listen: to my IPOD when I am stressed out, with country, rock, rap, christian or musicals being the playlist…

I don't understand: Why more people don’t use common sense… or the words “Thank you!”

I can usually be found: staring into the screen of my computer.

I need: to lose weight.

I forget: the world around me when I get sucked into a really good book.

I am happy: to be me, most of time.

How about you? Who are you?
Link to my comments so I can go read yours...

And the hits just keep on coming...

... It's been a while since I posted and you might be wondering why...

It's been a rough couple of weeks.

First, Steve's health has been bad. After several ER visits and several Dr. appointments, we seem to have the first real lead as to the cause. Or, more like one of the causes. After all the research we've been doing, we think its actually a combination of several things since not all the symptoms fit one thing or the other. Needless to say, the last 3 weekends have been spent in the hospital for lots and lots of testing. We're not done yet. He has an outpatient procedure being done this week. Maybe we'll have an answer (or two) by the end of the month. I know Steve is tired of being sick, not being able to sleep, and not knowing what is wrong with him. I am tired of being scared and worried because we don't know what is wrong. I am tired of trying to hide it from the kid so she doesn't know that something is wrong with Daddy. We're just tired in general...

... and then to add to it... It's been a couple rough weeks at work, with me traveling (Thank you Tracy for taking the kidlet overnight for me) as well as stuff in general being a little tense becaue the automotive market is in REALLY bad shape. In fact, the paper had a report today that some guy went to get a car and the best financing he could find was 16%... I bought my car 2 years ago with a 5% rate! No wonder no one is selling cars! (which could affect my job...)

... Then add on to that, our home computer is down for the count. We got hit with a nasty virus that well reached it's little tentacles out into all the little corners of the computer. This has caused us to have to pull everything out and rebuild it from scratch. It's the only way that we'll be rid of it. So, I'm still without a home computer and my laptop doesn't have access to the scanner or card readers to get my Pink Sketch up. Steve's home this week (due to the medical stuff) so he's going to try and get it fixed by mid-week. My uncle spent the weekend working on it when Steve was in the hospital and then the two of them together last night and the majority of the day before they left to go back to Chicago.

This weekend, we were supposed to meet in Grand Rapids with my Aunt, Uncle, and Grandma for apple picking, pumpkin patching, and wine tasting. But, that went down the drain with the whole Steve medical thing as he spent most of it in the hospital. Since he was in testing the majority of it, we spent time at the pumpkin patch since we couldn't hang with him. It was super cold but we had a good time. Hopefully, we'll get to carve them this week sometime. :) I would put up pictures but ... refer to the last paragraph. Needless to say, when the computer's fixed, I will put a bunch of pics and pages up.

I am working hard to keep a positive outlook. We will find out what is causing this and we'll get it fixed. I have faith. Please keep him in your prayers. I can handle it as long as I know what I am handling.

I'm off for now. I have a million things to do for tomorrow and I want to make sure that Steve's doing okay in the office...

A long and winding... Fall!

Fall is around us in Michigan. It's my FAVORITE season!! I love football and the colors changing and the nip in the air... Mmm... What a wonderful time! Unfortunately, the fall in my title doesn't refer to the season, but my own klutzyness.

You see, yesterday was a comedy of errors. First, while she was playing, Annde tripped and fell down the front steps. After a couple of bandaids and kisses, she was fine and back out to play. Later on, I was taking some hangers downstairs and my bad knee decided that it would be the perfect time to not function. So, 4 steps from the bottom, I went flying and crash landed at the bottom. Other than a bruised shin, hip, foot, shoulder, and ego, I am fine... just black and blue and sheepish! Then around 1am, Annde let out this loud shrieking cry, yelling "BUGS!!" and in my haste to get to her (the 3 gargantuan steps that I took from my bedroom to her's), I misjudged the door frame and cracked my already throbbing shoulder and my head against it on my way into her. Steve said it barely phased me in my rush to get to her. I felt it this morning though! I guess she was scared of Mosquitos. Hmmm... at least, that's what she told me at 3am and 5:30am when she got up crying again. Maybe tonight will be a little better...

Luckily for me, though, I was finished working on my projects for the FALL Coordinates Collections Cyber Crop. I came up with these pages & card. Sorry that the pictures are dark - I took them at night and need to retake them in the sun.:

The first one is about Steve's trip with Annde to the cider mill (while I was scrapbooking).

This page I did about a trip to a fun park near our house. It was so much fun to experience all these new things with Annde. It was her first time driving her own go cart and she went hog wild on the trampoline. The miniture golf would have been better at 9 holes... she got sick of it. Next time, we'll wear tennis shoes so she can kick the soccer balls (instead of baseball) and climb the rock wall. The next page was about Annde playing her "jumpin' game" - basically hurdling anything she can set up in her course. She doesn't know this was one of my events when I ran track in HS/College... She just loves to jump!

This is a page I did about Annde's new school. I wandered around taking some pictures and this is where I used them. It was fun to do this page because I not only got to use 16 pictures but I combined a Scrapbook Doodle challenge that I posted for their Friday night crop (use 10 pictures on a page for the 10th month) with the Challenge for CC for the use of this Scenic Route patterned paper. Here's one of the bonus doorprizes: Create a card from one of the challenges... I chose the one using 4 patterned papers and created this card to say Thanks! I love how it opens in a non-traditional way...

These are 2 pages I did for my journal using the Challenges. Hey, why not??!? The first one is about my favorite Scrapbook manufacturers (I had to use numbers 1-9 on a page). The journaling reads: "My life is my message, carefully recorded, page by page between the covers of albums. My life is my message, and these manufacturers are the ones I tend to grab out of my bag first when I have something to say or memorialize. My life is my message, and while my message isn’t limited to these 10 companies, they show up over and over again in what I make." and the second one is about why I blog (I had to use 6 fonts in the title). The journaling on this page reads: "I was once recently asked by someone why I blog. “Why waste the time and effort? Does anyone actually read what you write?” Maybe only 1 or 2 people might read it but to me, those people actually want to know what I am doing, how life is going, what my scrapbook pages look like. Those people matter to me. Blogging can make life easier: It’s easier to say, “Check the blog” than it is to write a letter. It’s easier to post pictures and pages than send a copy to everyone. But, it’s more than that to me... So, why do I blog? I blog because I can and I really enjoy it. I blog because someone once told me that my blog was: “Very humorous and a real peek into your life. It's the best blog I've ever read. Just wanted to say keep up the good work.” She’s a wonderful woman and it meant a lot to me because she only knows me through one of my boards. I blog because I know some of my family members and friends like to read what I write or see what I am doing. Maybe the question should be: Why don’t you blog?"

As for other fun news, I was picked as the November Guest Designer for ScrapDango! FABULOUS!! I got a sneak peak at what's in my kit and I can't wait to get my hands on it. I also won bingo at CC this month and won a fun prize too! You can see it used in 2 of the pages & the card above (Cider Mill and Summer Fun)

Tomorrow is my first workshop for Susan's 3 day and I am happy to say that I have sold 5 out of 6 spots! Only one to go - if you are interested, let me know!! The reveal of project 2 will be on Wednesday or Thursday and is a fun way to do a picture Christmas card! I can't wait to show you!

Well, that's all for now... I am going home to ice my leg, or rather ice my drink to make me forget my leg!! AHAHAHAHA

The Good, the bad... and the... well, Pretty!

Okay... so I am trying to snap out of my funk from yesterday by reaffirming the good things in life. Like my daughter being a backseat driver (started a little young, eh? Shouldn't use the stop light to explain colors...) or the fact that I can sit on my couch and listen to two candidates debate and scrapbook at the same time...

For those who don't know, I am trying to keep up with a daily journal. Not doing so hot - missing 4 days from Sept and 2 in October - but I have managed to do about 30 entries over the last 5 weeks. Here's my one from today, showing the important things to me and the fact that I am not overly thrilled with either candidate. Especially when they refuse to answer questions, try to muddy the water with false or exaggerated claims about the other, etc... I just want to know who is who and what they stand for... I really wish we would abolish political parties so that the candidates had to run on who they are, not all this bi-partisan crap and their ability to work together. Fire them all (like its done in business when you run it into the ground) and let's start all over again! Okay, off my soap box... Here's the page:My journal isn't all scrapbooky looking or even that interesting. You should see the one where I praise the jalapeno bagel with Salsa cream cheese that I get on the mornings I need a little pick me up! (Hey! It's hard to find good Mexican in Michigan!!) But, I am trying to "Scrap in the Moment". It's actually kinda of fun and it does make journaling my pages a bunch easier.

As for scrapbooking... Here's my latest Pink Sketch. Color is a bit wacky in the picture but I do like the page:
I also did a few others this weekend but I have to take the pictures in daylight. Too much glare on the picture when I tried a little bit ago.

I was also excited to receive a prize I won today from Color Me Daisy! I won the September contest with my page about owning a scrapbook retreat (I was SERIOUSLY thinking about this yesterday...) and this is what I won:
I've never gotten to work with Black Market Paper Society papers so I can't wait to see what I come up with.

I also was picked for the Layout of the Week over at Scrapdango for my Uncle Kevin page and as a Fab Find for my Prepared for Preschool. So, now you have the bad, good, and the pretty! And, what I have is... a desire to yawn and crawl into bed. So, goodnight all!

A Rough Day...

Today, my company went through layoffs. It's the 3rd time this year and each time, just my floor of my office has had more than 10 people laid off. Today, it was 11 from my division's corporate office. Overall, I believe the total number severed today was in the hundreds in North America. Not just white collar. Not just blue collar. Just everyday people, who got up everyday just like me and came to work.

It's not a huge surprise.... Our biggest competitors and customers have done the exact same thing within the last few weeks. The automotive world has been hit hard. The Big 3 are no longer big and every company is doing what it needs to for survival. Since I have started with this company, just over 4 years ago, I have been through 9 sets of cuts. My prior company - I went through over a dozen, including a hostile takeover threat and eventual purchase. I was lucky to get it out before the company went south and declared bankruptcy. It has now been sold off in pieces.

I wonder if those who buy foreign, including my own family, understand what that means to those of us who work for American companies. I wonder if those in Washington, so quick to help out other industries, understand what the delay of help has done to this state's economy. It's not just one politician. It's not just the governor. It's not just the President or who will eventually win this election. It's not just about shipping jobs overseas. Like everything else, if no one is buying, we can't sell. It's not about quality - the numbers are there to support the fact that those "wonderful" foreign jobs are not that much better than the Americans. They just don't have to tell you they screwed up like the American companies do.

Sigh! People just don't get it. It makes me sad, really. Sad to know how bad things are going in this state. Our "one state recession..."

For me, this upcoming election is about more than what the sound bites, political emails, and humorous satires are... For me, it's about finding a way back to where we've been as a country. It's about making sure those who lost their jobs today can find a new one. It's about the fact that I have friends who have done the right thing but still might lose their homes because the government is only helping out the ones who got stupid and bought above what they could afford, not the ones stuck in adjustable rate loans exploding out of control. It's about my in-laws being close to retirement and now scared because they don't know if the money is there anymore.

I don't feel very good about the state of our economy or about how this country feels right now. I don't know who has my vote but I do know this... Who ever is elected - at any level of government - better get off their collective butts and do something to fix this country. A lot of people lost their jobs today that just wanted to do a get up, go to work and do a good job. So - you make their loss a priority and get this country straightened out. I, as well as every other tax payer, is not paying you to sit on your butt and do nothing. And unfortunately, that's all I seem to see anymore...

We'll be back to our originally scheduled posts tomorrow. I did have a blast scrapbooking this weekend with Tracy and Stacy and want to show you what I did. Today, I just have a hard time posting it.

1st Project Night for the Cure

I am hosting a series of Project Nights to benefit my sister's walk in the Dallas 3-Day, 60 mile Breast Cancer walk. I have heard a lot lately that several of you want to be able to give some scrappy gifts but are short on time or missing some scrapping mojo in order to get them done. So, I will help you with that! And - since it's October which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month - how much cooler is it that we can have fun and make a difference!

Each project night will be $15-$20. You will walk out with a complete project. That's right - ready to wrap and give as a gift... or just to keep for yourself to show off your family at your holiday celebrations. Everything is precut and ready to go. All you have to do is show up with 5-8 pictures and spend some time - we're shooting for around an hour - putting it together with me. All proceeds will go to the 3 Day.

The first project night will be October 14th. I know that's a Tuesday but my goal was not to infringe on your weekend plans so I know everyone is busy. The time will be 7:30pm and the first one will be at my house. In addition to making the project, there will be some raffles and giveaways. So, bring a few extra $$ to buy some tickets. Remember - EVERYTHING raised goes to my sister's 3-Day for Breast Cancer. For right now, the class limit is 6.

So, without further ado... Here's the project:

Let me know if you interested and I will send the link for the Evite to you. This workshop is prepay so let me know. If you can't come and you still want to do the book, let me know... I will send it to you for the same $15 (+ shipping) completely done... (I will have a limited amount available for sale this way so please make arrangements quickly.)

Happy Scrappin' Y'all!