In My Life Today

Why hello, blog, long time no see! Did you miss me? Life conspired this month to keep me away from my computer more than I have been in months. I spent a week in the hospital with our youngest, with many subsequent doctor visits. Our Internet has been down more than up this month. And I've simply been exhausted - running around like a crazy woman trying to keep up with the boys, the house, and other responsibilities. And you know how hard it is to re-start something once you've lost momentum. Today I noticed a great inspirational post over at The Daily Digi all about blog memes and how they are a great way to capture a "slice of life," either on your blog and/or in a scrapbook page. I liked the one they shared (borrowed from The Simple Woman's Daybook), so I'm going to participate here! If you decide to do something similar, I'd love to read your meme!

FOR TODAY
Outside my window... it is misty, gray and drizzly, but still in the mid-60s, which was warm enough for Cai to play out on the balcony (which is sheltered) for a while this morning.
I am thinking... of how very much I am behind on. Even with paring back some responsibilities this month, I still have so much to catch up on, and so little energy to do it all. 
I am thankful for... a heavenly Father who knows the long-term plan for my life and my children's lives, and promises that His will is good and perfect, even if all I can see is darkness in front of me.
From the kitchen... I hear uplifting Christian music from KLOVE, our local Christian station, because I'm at my mom's and she plays it 24/7. I love listening to the radio here, because our radio at home doesn't come in well. 
I am wearing... too-big hand-me-down jeans and a purple t-shirt. Also, my feet are bare, which is silly because they are cold, so I've got a comforter tucked around me.
I am creating... this blog post. Duh. Also on the creating to-do list for today: a rough family schedule and at least one scrapbook page (probably scrapping this list!).
I am going... to spend a night in downtown San Antonio at the Rivercenter Marriott next Wednesday with Josh to celebrate our 3rd anniversary. We plan to eat at the fancy Fogo de Chao Brazilian steakhouse too! I'm so excited!
I am reading... The Parent Adventure by Rodney and Selma Wilson, for a small group study Josh and I are participating in at Northeast Bible Church.
I am hoping... that my Grandpa finds us the perfect minivan at an equally perfect price next week. We really need a second vehicle!
I am hearing... Avyn cooing, gurgling, and babbling in his seat on the floor next to me. And sometimes coughing, because he is sick again, poor baby.
Around the house... I don't like looking around our house, because it's a depressing, avoidance-coma-inducing disaster. I need a maid.
One of my favorite things... are Sonic cherry or cranberry limeades. Yum.
A few plans for the rest of the week: Church and small group on Sunday. Taking Avyn to the GI specialist on Monday. Celebrating our anniversary a little early on Wednesday/Thursday. 
Picture for the day:  My two bookworms :)

Thanks again to The Simple Woman's Daybook for starting this great blog meme idea!

Ketchup

As my title obviously implies, this is a catch-up post! Our internet quit on Sunday, and although AT&T says it's fixed, it's not. So I've been visiting my parents a lot this week, which has the added benefit of built-in help with the boys :)! All the time I could get online was spent playing with the lovely, hilarious girls over at Mscraps and celebrating the store's first anniversary. The amazingly generous designers donated lots of prizes for about 20 different games and challenges, so I had no shortage of inspiration this weekend. Here's the pages I completed (and the coordinating challenge):

Challenge: Scraplift Chain

For this page, I scraplifted the person who posted before me, which was tj7933, and I chose her page "Christmas Gala 2010" if you want to go look at it. :)

Challenge: Finish Me Off

This was an interesting challenge - we were all given a .jpg scrapbook page and had to "finish" it, but without changing any of the elements already there. I like how mine turned out! Everything is from the Mscraps Birthday Blog Train collab (which you can still get - hurry!!).

Challenge: White Space Layout

Pretty obvious - we had to create a white space layout. This one came together pretty quickly, one reason I love white space pages!! I absolutely ADORE this kit, too - Sketchbook by Three Paper Peonies. How cute is that pencil?! (Almost as cute as the little boy in the picture, right? :))

Challenge: Topsy Turvy Template

For this one, the hostess gave us a mixed-up template (with the element spots, paper strips, and photo slots all jumbled up on the page in no particular design). The challenge? Use just the bits we were given, nothing extra, to create a layout! Fun and challenging! The papers and most of the word art on this page is from Happy Talk by Three Paper Peonies and designs by Anita. The elements are from all over - I really had to dig through my Mscraps stash for this one!

Challenge: Template #2

Sadly, I missed out on the first template challenge of the weekend because it ended yesterday, and I had no Internet. But I had fun with this one - we gave Avyn his first taste of "solid" food a couple days ago, and he was thoroughly unimpressed. Made for a cute page, though. If you've got a messy child, then maybe you need the kit Messy by Three Paper Peonies, too.

Challenge: Create a new siggy

It had been a while since I created a new forum siggy, so I whipped this one up just in time to enter this challenge. It's pretty simple, but I like it! Also, I got to use that super-cute Messy kit again!

Thanks for being patient with me this week - hopefully we will figure out this Internet issue soon. And I promise a post soon that's not just showing off my recent layouts! Do you have any ideas for topics or tutorials, or burning questions about scrapbooking that you think somebody ought to answer? I'd love to hear your ideas!!