Challenge of the Week

This weeks challenge was to use PINK and BLACK.  I love that color combo - I remember wearing it many times in the 80's.  Funny how everything old is 'new' again!  Enjoy this fun card!
 
I chalked the cherries and used the beautiful eyelet border punch.
 


 

Some more creativity

While I await my kit from Stampin' UP!  I create! I can't wait to get my hands on all that wonderful stuff and get going on my new business venture.  Here are some cards that I made to keep creating. 

Amanda
come what may and LOVE it!

EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOOD Join me

Some more card creativity

I was busy a couple weeks ago trying to get out of my funk - and here are some cards I created.

Amanda
come what may and LOVE it!

Some creations -

photos of our friend

Farewell dear friend!

so we had a long week after our accident with insurance companies, claims adjustors, loan writers, car salesmen and installers... And in the end we had to bid a farewell to a dear friend - Yellow Truck.

Yellow truck was pronounced Totalled on June 9, 2009. Yellow truck is survived by 6 loving family members who will miss it dearly. Among our favorite memories are dump runs, camping trips, 4 wheeling (not often), band days and other Flowing Wells events since it matched to perfectly!, fun dates, and squished trips in the back seat. We all will miss Yellow Truck!

Farewell, dear friend! You have been replaced with a newer, less exciting Pontiac G6 - but you will NEVER be forgotten!

REDO!

Well folks, I officially want a REDO! Of the entire year so far. We have had some great times but mostly mingled between some crappy stuff! I feel a need to vent it all out, and since none of my friends are around to listen ... you all get it!

My list of reasons for a redo of 2009 -

1. Mike got fired from his job of almost 10 years - 14 total years with the same company.
2. We live on MY income for 8 weeks. *remember I work at a school in ARIZONA???
3. We get sued by the company for the unemployment payments mike DID recieve (did they really think $1000 was THAT much money?)
4. we have no insurance and many meds to buy, so we stop using many of them and pray that no one gets hurt or sick.
5. job stress that Amanda may not have a job anymore
6. new job is a NIGHT job so now we have a DAY sleeper and I must be the single parent
7. new job pays almost 50% less than previous job
8. kids lives - terrifying experiences, expensive trips, multiple F grades....
9. no health insurance
10. water heater starts leaking and flooding house for 3 weeks
11. washing machine breaks
12. mike drives into our garage - van door is broken now
13. car accident with potential serious damage to truck
14. new insurance will take 1/3 of lower pay
15. ....

I could keep going if I wanted to, but it is all just too depressing to think about. After a day or so I want to go over the blessings we have recieved too.. but for today.... I needed to celebrate the RAIN that we are living with!

She's FAMOUS!

What a wonderful day that was! Imagine our shock (not completely) when Michelle texted me that she had been chosen as Building Blocks Character of the Month at her High School. She is so amazing! I love her and am very proud of her accomplishments

She was chosen out of almost 2000 students to be the example of excellence at her school. She is so gifted at balancing all her life activites. She is an outstanding student - class Valedictorian right now, a hard working team leader at her job (being promoted after only 2 weeks on the job), and a phenominal daughter!

Who could ask for anything more! She is my inspiration... Keep it up sweetie!

Transformation

WOW! It is hard to believe that life changes so fast. Some of you know back in September that I found out I was pre-diabetic. That meant some serious changes for me. Through a lot of prayer and self control I had no idea I had, I have so far in this journey of health lost 27 pounds! That is amazing to me. Here are the photos of the 'new and improved' me!

Best Night out!

So, I had a fantastic girls night out last night. 8 of us from work and 4 others went to see Twilight! It was fabulous! We screamed, we giggled, and sighed with pleasure. It may not be a box office smash, but it was so wonderful to see the story we have all become obsessed with acted out on the silver screen.

Susan made us all 'bedazzled' t-shirts to wear and also added a hilarious Twilight Survival Kit: popcorn and water, gum for fresh breath, a candy cane to suck on, Hershey's kisses for those kissing scenes and a panty liner for when we pee our pants! It was such a fun, relaxing night to get away. I love my girlfriends at work.

GO TEAM EDWARD! you are amazing.

Relief

Wow, today was a good day. I recieved good news this morning. At least for the time being, life is in MY hands and the hands of God. I am so relieved to have felt peace finally. Life has been a rough road for the past month, but for the moment, we have a season of peace, tranquility and power. No longer do we as a family feel helpless and at the mercy of others.

Thank you Heavenly Father for answering prayers, for being my rock and carrying me through!

Happy Halloween!

So, I was the witch today! I truly think halloween is so much fun to see the cute kids in their creative costumes.

Relaxing and Catching up

This was a wonderful past few days. I have been able to reconnect with my creative side and get some much needed creativity. School has been out for 2 days this week and I spent my days doing my favorite thing... scrapbooking.

The same weekend I found out about the lump in my thyroid, President Uchdorf spoke at the Relief Society General Broadcast and gave a talk I felt just for me. He spoke of trials and challenges and how to combat them. He gave 2 solutions to pick yourself up.

1. CREATE something - make something from nothing. It gives you great power and a feeling of success.
2. CHARITY to others - doing something for someone else helps you forget about your problems for a while and makes your burden lighter.

I can tell you these 2 things have been helping me survive the past few weeks. I still have to wait one more week for the biopsy, then who knows.... but for today...

I will just CREATE!

Fear...and FAITH

Wow! Who knew how scary one phone call could be. I have been reeling ever since. My world was turned upside down when the woman on the other end of the phone said, 'there is a lump'. I have spent the past 2 days really seeing the world from a different perspective. I watch my children differently, I eat differently, I view my marriage differently. All those things that were so IMPORTANT before are not anymore, and the things I took for granted are now SUPER important to me.

The tears have flowed this weekend quite readily. I am so grateful to have faith. While I don't know where this rollercoaster ride will take me or what kind it is; it doesn't really matter if it is an upside down fast ride, or a long, lazy relaxing stroll through a musical journey because NO MATTER WHAT the end result looks like, I WILL BE OK! I know that because of my FAITH. Life can still be good... even amidst a terrifying future.

School is IN!

So, all of us now are back into school (except Dad). Our lives have started to run crazy like we are used to. I truly love the down days since most of them start with me out the door at 6 and home at 7ish that night. Weekends are my favorite days! Mostly Sunday... my TRUE DAY OF REST.!

I have my library all set up ready for kids and they love it! It is so homey and welcoming. Take a look 'under the sea'!