Happy New Year!!

I hope you have a happy and safe New Year!!

A great Christmas and some snow fun!

A wonderful Christmas and hopefully a wonderful new year! I had a great Christmas, I think what make is great for me is when I am a peace with myself and my family and I was. In between projects, cleaning, and everything else that requires my attention we managed to take some time to go to Big Bear. Let me tell you a holiday weekend is not the time to head up to Big Bear, it took us 3 hours to get up the mountain and 3 hours to get down. Morbid curiosity propelled us forward, we were already on the road and figured we would go all the way lol.

Before we could enjoy the snow we had to sit through 3 hours of this!

No MORE PICTURES!!! My Abby got a little sick of pictures.



 

Big Bear!

 

Aren't they cute??????

My girls are at my mom's house decorating her tree and my sister sent me this pic of them. Just thought I would share! Any day now I will figure start adding new pictures on here.

MAMMA MIA, I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!

I have been waiting to check this movie out for awhile, I finally purchased it for myself (a little early Christmas present to moi). It is sooo cute I love musicals and this one was sooo fun I loved the whole cast and the music, definitely worth checking out.

New Look

"The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short,
but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark."

-Michelangelo

isn't this a great quote, I love it!

How do you like the new look, I found this template from this great site (click here), She has the coolest templates definitely worth checking out if you need to spruce up your blog. Anywhoo Abby is sick, yup has a nasty case of bronchitis. We had to rush her to the ER this past Saturday because she woke up wheezing, very scary. We are actually familiar with all of that my Madison use to need breathing treatments every time she got a cold, but Abby has been healthy since day one so it scared me. She is doing well, sick enough to stay home from school, well enough to get into EVERYTHING lol.


I have hinted at some of the things I have been up to, a new website, classes and a few new events coming in 2009 don't worry I will be unveiling them in the coming weeks.

And until I get my computer issues fixed limited pictures.

I also have some awesome classes coming up in January & February, you are not going to want to miss them, I will keep you posted.

Have a great day!

SOCCER IS OVER!!!!!

YIPPEEE!!

Don't get me wrong I actually had a great time with the girls, I had a team of 9 - 7 & 8 year old girls including my very own Madison. But it takes a lot of time and energy to coach so I am happy I had the expericnec and and happy it is OVERRRR!!

Now I can spend my time focusing on other tings like my family and um of copurse scrapbooking I have not scrapped a ting for myself in ages. Bummmer! I am hoping tonight i will get some time to scrap. So that is it for now, I am off to continue cleaning my office.

Have a great Sunday!!

No title today, I had no idea what to call it, since there is no real excuse for not blogging for over a month. But again I will try to keep up on it. It seems I never have enough hours in the day to get anything done. I use to be a total night owl , I would stay up until 2 - 3 in the morning now with my son having to get to the bus by 6:30 it seems that life has completely turned around, I have to get up earlier and then I am ready for bed by 11 or so. Plus my Abby had croupe for about 3-4 weeks so we kept her out of school and then she broke her leg, well not her whole leg lol, just a little bone in her shin area. Although to a 2 year old and to the mother of a 2 year old it is all the same. Point being I haven't had a lot of time during the day to get anything done, so hopefully now that soccer is almost over and Abby will be hopefully getting back to school I might find time to get something done. So that is it I leave you with a picture of my Abby in her BIG BRIGHT PINK cast. Have a great day!

Sad Week

It has been forever since I blogged, it seems time disappears in an instant. In those moments sometimes good things happen and sometimes bad things happen, yesterday my husband's grandmother passed away, after a week in the hospital her little body gave out. She was an amazing woman and I truly hope I have her zest for life when I am 89. Grandma Clark was always up for anything not to long ago she was down on the floor playing UNO with the kids, always smiling and genuinely a wonderful person.
I often joke that my family is a blessing and a curse, I love having them close and sometimes it feels like it is too close, but at the end of the day all of these people in our lives are part of a machine each a unique piece that keeps the others working in sync, the loss of one piece leaves the machine debilitated and never working quite the same.
The sadness of the loss is lessened in the knowledge that she was not in pain during her passing and that she lived a full and active life till the very end.
So remember to hug your loved ones and let them know how much you care and how important they are to you, because tomorrow quickly becomes yesterday.



I love this picture of Grandma, it was take this past April, we were having a BBQ at my Brother in laws place and everyone was eating those Popsicles that you throw in the freezer and can buy like 100 for 2 bucks lol. You know which ones I am talking about, anywhoo my hubby being the obnoxious grandson asked his Grandma, do you want one Grandma? And her response was OK, sure i'll try one. That was her in a nutshell always willing to try something new, i had to snap this pic of her eating her popsicle.


This is a picture of Grandma Clark with Abby when Abby was just 2 weeks old (my little munchkin is now 2)

Getting back into the routine plus I have been tagged!!

Well as many of you have all read I have had a heck of a time adjusting to my kids all going off in different directions, my baby started pre-school, my son started middle school, and my beautiful Madison stayed at her school, thank goodness something remained the same!! It has been chaotic getting use to this new routine let me tell you I am always running from here to there, but I love it! Yup if I wasn't busy I would be going crazy. So I apologize I have been neglecting my blog for almost 2 weeks now but it has been nice to find so many nice comments and I even got tagged by a couple of wonderful So Cal Girls, Ching and Trisha! So of course now its my turn to tag a few very cool people.

First I was tagged by the lovely Trisha, she runs the Yahoo group Who Gives A Scrap, this is a fun local group of scrappers who do all kinds of stuff all over So Cal and super fun to scrap with!!

Next I was tagged by Ching-A-Ling - This girl is a wonderful designer and very active in the local and online Scrap Community, if something is going on in the local community Ching knows about it!!

Ok onto 7 random facts about me, hmmmm ok:
1. I am terrified of zombie movies yet inexplicably drawn to them, Dawn of the Dead absolutely terrifies me and then I can't sleep at night.

2. I rarely wear white socks, I have worn white socks less than 10 times in the last 10 years. White socks have no character lol.

3. I am a Sci Fi Geek.

4. I am a total Fanillow (spelling?) and if you know what the means you probably are too lol

5. I was an Urban Planning major at Cal Poly, with an emphasis on Urban Re-development. Ditched the major when I realized I would spend 90% of my time behind a desk writing reports, although the whole subject is still completely fascinating to me.

6. I love the Harry Potter books, I was so sad when book 7 came out, not more HP for me. I have actually had long conversations about the books with other HP geeks like myself lol.

7. Believe it or not I am a total introvert, anyone who has ever scrapped with me is probably laughing in disbelief, but really I am. Here is the classic definition of an introvert:

Definition: Contrary to what most people think, an introvert is not simply a person who is shy. In fact, being shy has little to do with being an introvert! Shyness has an element of apprehension, nervousness and anxiety, and while an introvert may also be shy, introversion itself is not shyness. Basically, an introvert is a person who is energized by being alone and whose energy is drained by being around other people.

Introverts are more concerned with the inner world of the mind. They enjoy thinking, exploring their thoughts and feelings. They often avoid social situations because being around people drains their energy. This is true even if they have good social skills. After being with people for any length of time, such as at a party, they need time alone to "recharge."

When introverts want to be alone, it is not, by itself, a sign of depression. It means that they either need to regain their energy from being around people or that they simply want the time to be with their own thoughts. Being with people, even people they like and are comfortable with, can prevent them from their desire to be quietly introspective.

Being introspective, though, does not mean that an introvert never has conversations. However, those conversations are generally about ideas and concepts, not about what they consider the trivial matters of social small talk.

So there you have it 7 random facts about me!

Now onto my victims . . .

Kari - Kari is the owner of Urban Anthology a new kit club, be sure to check it out. Nice and tons of fun to hang out with. It has been great getting to know Kari more of the last few months!

Kristi - Super nice and talented fellow So Cal Scrapper and of course owner of So Cal Scrap as well!!

Robin Robin is one of the nicest people I have ever met! I have had the pleasure of scrapping with her on more than a few occasions, she also owner of So Cal Scrap online store, check it out!

Stacy C - Stacy is super talented and super nice, another fellow So Cal Scrapper! I love what she does with flowers!!

Sorry girls had to tag you!!

So much to report.

WOW my baby boy starts middle school on Monday, I know so many of you have been through this but I had to hold back the tears as we walked around his new campus. We picked up his schedule for Monday, he has spend the last 7 years at his elementary school and I just can't believe he has grown so much and now is ready to enter a whole new world full of many exciting things. I am so happy to see that he is excited to start middle school, today has seemed like such a blur. You never know how things are going to affect you and I am quite surprised that I am having such a hard time with this transition, but I KNOW that he is going to do great and have a wonderful 7th grade year.

If I am torn up about 7th grade, I am going to need medication to let him go off to college lol

My Baby Turned 2 Yesterday

Yesterday my little squirt Abby turned 2, I can't believe how much she has changed and how much our lives have changed since she came in it. I wouldn't change it for the world, my munchkin starts pre-school on Monday and it is bitter sweet, at times I can't wait for my kids to grow up and become more independent and at others I just want them to stay young forever (sigh) . . . Well I leave you pictures of my princess.


Abby - Less than 1 day old.


Abby 10 Mos. Old


Abby 18 Mos.


Abby just a few days away from her 2nd B-day



Abby 2 Years old - we took this pic at Build A Bear yesterday!!

So Cal Scrap CyberCrop!!

So Cal Scrap is Hosting there first ever FREE CybeCrop be sure to check it out, there will plenty of fun going with contests, challenges, classes, prizes, and games!! The fun starts on Aug. 15th, 2008 at 3:00pm! Check out So Cal Scrap.

Taking some time to breathe! Soccer, classes, retreats, Oh My!!

Hi everyone,

I have been a busy girl as all of you are I'm sure, between some awesome classes and family it seems like I sleep less and less lol. So what does a mom who doesn't have time to sleep do, well she decides to coach her daughter's soccer team of course, actually I did not originally sign up or this lovely position but seeing as how the girls did not have a coach and they would be disbanded if they didn't get one, (I think they just say this to scare parents into doing it) I decided to do it.

Then oh yes I took on a part time job, non-scrappy related it is like 10 hours a week - in this economy who am I to turn down a job, especially at a mere 8-10 hours a week! I will be working at UC Riverside in the plant pathology department creating media, just an FYI media is the stuff that goes into the dishes to help cultivate different yeast, fungi, and bacteria. Wow you just learned something new, and if you already knew that then aren't you just a smarty pants!

So that is it in a nutshell, I can't wait for my kids to go back to school on the 25th, YAY!!! My baby starts pre-school in a few weeks, I am feeling bitter sweet about that one, I know she will love it and it is only for 3 half days, but she is my baby (sniff sniff). At lease I will be able to get some work done instead of the staying up till the wee hours of the morning.

Well that is the update on me, I will be listing all kinds of awesome stuff shortly so check back because I am going to provide you with a ton of fun scrapbooking stuff to do in the next few months! Have a great Day!

So Cal scrap Friday Freebie & New Forum Urban Anthology

It's Friday so that means the So Cal Scrap has another great Friday Freebie, check out the link below, who doesn't like FREE!

So Cal Scrap Friday Freebie

Also my friend Kari has recently launched her all new site Urban Anthology, if you check it out be sure to say I sent you (Jessica S), click on the lnk:

Urban Anthology

Upcoming class at the Scrapbook Garden

Disney Magical Memories
Date: Aug. 2, 2008
Time: 10:30 am - 12:30pm
Location: The Scrapbook Garden

Class Description:

Join me for a fun morning as we create an adorable 2 Page layout to showcase your Disney pictures! We will be using Creative Imaginations Disney Foil paper and Reminisce Paper and Die Cuts. This class is a must for any and all Disney fans, You will learn how to distress, create pockets, learn how to add faux stitching to highlight a title and layering. Hope to see you there!

Class Supply List:

Black pigment brush pad
Foam squares or pop dots
paper piercer or push pin
adhesive
black fine tip pen
fine tip adhesive

Family Is Everything Layout Class @ Scrappin In Th Hills

Join me at Scrappin' in the Hills as we create a 2-page layout to honor our family!

Family Is Everything 2-page Layout
Location: Scrappin' In the Hills - Anaheim Hills
Date: July 22, 2008 6 - 8:00pm
Cost: $25.00
Class Supply List: Chestnut Roan Color Box Fluid CHalk Inkpad, Black Color Box Pigment Brush Pad, micro tip scissors, adhesive, liquid adhesive, pop dots or foam squares.

Upcoming Classes @ Strictly Scrapbooking

Hi everyone it has been a couple of weeks since I posted, I have been busy putting together some totally fun classes, Check out these two classes I will be doing at Strictly Scrapbooking

Disney Princess 6 x6 Acrylic Album!
Strictly Scrapbooking Torrance Location
Saturday July 19th, 2008
11:00 - 1:00
$40.00






Disney Interactive Layout
Strictly Scrapbooking Cerritos Location
July 19th, 2008
3:00-5:00pm
$30.00

busy, busy, busy

I have been crazy busy and I wouldn't change a thing! This past weekend I taught a class at Strictly Scrapbooking in Torrance, it was great I had a great group of patient and fun ladies who I hope I get to see again soon. I also had the pleasure of teaching a Disney class last night at Scrappin' in the Hills - Anaheim Hills, this was a SOLD OUT class, again I had the pleasure of meeting another wonderful group of scrappers.

This Saturday I will heading out to The Scrapbook Garden in Huntington Beach for yet another Disney class, I am doing 6 x6 acrylic this time, this class is SOLD OUT as well, I am looking forward to meeting another wonderful enthusiastic group of croppers!!

I am going to be designing some awesome classes for these great stores so keep checking back for updates.

On that note I also wanted to add a HUGE THANK YOU to the owners of these 3 stores, they are to kind to come let me teach at their stores and I appreciate them for letting me do so.

So a BIG THANK YOU goes out to Sophia of Strictly Scrapbooking, Elaine & Cindy of Scrappin' in the Hills, & Melissa of The Scrapbook Garden.

Have a great day night!!

"I need some blog Luvin'" contest winner

Congratulations to Julia Hammond, she was the winner drawn at random from those of you who posted comments on my blog during the 1st half of June. I will be running this contest every week and picking a winner at random every Sunday. If your name is posted as a winner please e-mail me at rivpunk@aol.com with your mailing address. Good Luck!

So Cal Scrap - Friday Freebie

You still have time to win a fun prize just for posting a comment on the So Cal Scrap blog, click on the link to enter So Cal Scrap Blog.

Oh The Places You'll Go

Where does the time go? I cried a few tears during my son's 6th grade promotion, I can't believe that he is going into 7th grade. He just turned 12, check out the post below with his baby pic. Graduations have always made me cry, for as long as I can remember, there is something so beautiful and full of hope about them. It's the confiramtion that your hard work has paid off and you have strength and poower to mold your future. Sniff Sniff. Here is the Dr. Seus poem that my son's principal read:

Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.
You’ll look up and down streets. Look ‘em over with care.
About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.
And you may not find any
you’ll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you’ll head straight out of town.
It’s opener there
in the wide open air.
Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.
And when things start to happen,
don’t worry. Don’t stew.
Just go right along.
You’ll start happening too.
OH!
THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!
You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.
You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed.
You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you’ll be the best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

She didn't read all of it, but I thought this was perfect. Have a great day!

Bad Haircut Wed. Night!

Ok so thought I would share my little story which I will be adding to my blog as well. Ok so After a day of running errands, I needed to still get my son a haircut, he has his 6th grade promotion tomorrow. Wwhile I am waiting for my son I was checking out the hair magazines, I see a few cute cuts and start thinking maybe I should just do it, I have been toying with the idea of getting a haircut for some time, however my hair was pretty long so not a decision I wanted to make lightly. Well my little sister who is visiting from Dallas was there to encourage me. So I said what the heck why not, it's only hair ( A statement I was seriously going to regret in just a few minutes). SO I tell the girl I want to go short and she asks do you want to donate you hair to Locks of Love? Of course once she said that I knew I was going short, these days I try to give when I can so I figure an extra inch shorter and someone who really needs it will benefit, I was feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. . . As soon as she stars cutting, my heart sank OMG I look like a FREAKKK. So I am sitting there hoping that eventually it would look good, guess what? That moment never came. I had a picture it wasn't anything too complicated, but somehow she butchered it . So as we are leaving I was trying to hold back the tears, got to my truck and I was soooo sad. The only comfort is that the hair went to a good cause. I think for the most part I got it out of my system, the truth is it's only hair and it went to a good cause, plus there are so many more important things to worry about than my hair, although I can't guarantee I will be so pleasant about it tomorrow.

Any how have a great night and try not to laugh to hard at the crop on Sat., a chuckle will do

BUSY BUSY BUSY WEEK!!

Yup,this week is going to be busy, which I love as long as I am on top of things. I can say at the moment I am on top of most things, let's hope it stays that way. Last week I was busy getting ready for the scrapper's sale So Cal Scrap hosted on Sat. Sunday I got busy listing some items on ebay for a few friends, finished most of that yesterday. My little sister arrives from Dallas, Texas today - After graduation work took her away to Texas, I miss her so much although we talk on the phone all the time, she only gets to come out and visit 2-3 times a year. SO SAD!! Then my son has his 6th grade promotion tomorrow, I'm hoping I won't cry. Before he can do that tomorrow, I need to get his haircut make sure his clothes fit (nothing like waiting till the last minute) & get the rest of my ducks in a row because tomorrow both my oldest are officially out on SUMMER VACATION!! AHHHHHHHHHHH. Ok that's all for now the whole reason I got up early was to get some work done before the rest of the house got up.TTFN

Oh Yes I forgot to mention my camera broke, stupid me was sitting at the computer when my little one strolled in needing my attention I turned quickly forgetting the camera was plugged in as I turned I took the usb cord with me, which of course was attached to the camera which came crashing down off my desk and on to my tile floor. While there was no visible signs of damage, the thing won't turn on, I was quite broken hearted over it. Luckily my husband had his, but it's not the same. OH well (SIGH)

Ok now I am really out, have a great day!!!

My Scrappin' Escapes Website is back up!!

YEAHHHH I am back in business, It was so frustrating that my site was down most of the day today, but thank goodness I am back on!!!!! So go over and take a little peek at my site

www.scrappin-escapes.com


Have a great day!!

Saturday June 21st, 2008
My Sweet Girl / Boys Will Be Boys (Your choice of 1)

Come create a darling layout to honor that little guy or little lady in your life, you will walk away with a darling fully embellished layout ready for your pictures. You will have your choice of either the "My Sweet Girl" layout or the "Boys Will Be Boys" Layout. Please make your selection when registering for the class.

Location: Strictly Scrapbooking - Torrance
Date: June 21st, 2008
Time 2:00 - 4:00 pm
Cost: $25.00 your choice of either boy or girl

Saturday June 21st, 2008

Disney Memories Interactive Layout

How many Disney pictures can you fit on 1 12 x 12 layout? 25 if you join us for this fun 2 hour class, we will create a Disney layout that features 25 photo mats, hidden journaling, and several adorable paper pieced Mickey's. Join us for a magical morning.

Location: Strictly Scrapbooking - Torrance
Date: June 21st, 2008
Time 11:00 - 1:00 pm
Cost: $30.00

"Magical Memories" - Disney Layout Class

"Magical Memories" Two Page Layout
Tuesday, June 24th 6:00pm-8:00pm Fee: $25
Location: Scrappin' In The Hills

We know you love making memories at Disneyland and that you will love keeping those
memories alive in this "Magical Memories" layout. You will love all the details and dimension throughout this layout!

Summer Days Acrylic Album

Endless Summer Acrylic Mini Book at the Scrapbook Garden in Huntington Beach
Saturday, June 28, 2008
1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
$35 per person
An Endless Summer 6x6 Acrylic Album. Come create this gorgeous 8-page 6x6 clear acrylic album using the Bo Bunny Beach Keen line of paper. This fun album will highlight all that is great about summer... sun, sand, and surf! You will love this little book with two different sizes of acrylic to preserve all your summertime memories. Stop by the store today to see the sample and sign up! Space will fill up quickly, so get your name on the list soon!

Upcoming Classes

I have been busy putting together samples together for some upcoming classes around So. Cal. Here is the Disney class I will be doing at the Scrapbook Garden in Huntington Beach.

Disney Magical Memories Acrylic Mini Book with Jessica
Saturday, June 28, 2008
10:30 am to 12:30 pm
$35 per person

Calling all you Disney fans, join me and create a special acrylic album for all those wonderful Disney moments! You will be creating a 10-page 6x6 acrylic album using the Reminisce "Real Magic" paper line. This fabulous little book is absolutely overflowing with Disney magic, so stop by the store to see the sample and sign up! Seats are limited and will sell out fast, so sign up soon!

He's not a baby anymore . . .

I can't believe my boy turned 12 today, the years have passed so quickly =-(. I remember the day he was born so clear in my memory, I couldn't have loved anything more. It's funny how in the daily chaos of life the moments just pass . . . sniff sniff I am not ready to lose my baby boy. I don't think it helps that he looks older than your average 12 year old, he is 5'7" for Pete's sake. Oh well C'est la Vie.

Here is a now and then shot, he was about 18 months in this picture.

I took this picture this morning before he left for school, I think they all have that early morning look about them lol. I can't believe I got a shot with all of them looking at the camera at the same time. I'm sure this is an easy task for all you photo pros, but getting my kids to do it is a miracle in itself!

Have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!

Friday Freebie - So Cal Scrap

Don't forget to check out So Cal Scrap's weekly blog contest Friday Freebie, such an easy way to win great prizes, you can visit the blog Friday Freebies - So Cal Scrap
Have Fun!!

So Cal Scrap - Friday Freebie!

Don't forget to check out So Cal Scrap's weekly blog contest Friday Freebie, such an easy easy to wind great prizes, you can visit the blog Friday Freebies - So Cal Scrap
Have Fun!!

Scrapper's Yard Sale - Corona CA

Hi everyone just wanted to share the great news, Several So Cal Scrap members are getting together to put on a SCRPABOOKING YARD SALE.

June 7th Scrapper's Yard Sale in Corona...

8am-noon
533 San Miguel Dr.
Corona, CA

There will be 13+ local scrappers, each with a table full of scrap goodies priced to sell. Items are both New & Gently Used. If you love scrapping, then you will love our sale! No need to RSVP, just come on by & bring your friends.Items include totes, carts, stamps, embellishment, albums, page & project kits, cutting tools, paper, cardstock, ribbon & LOTS, LOTS more!We have a few spots left for those who would like to sell. The fee is $5 if you need a table or FREE if you bring your own. Hope to see you all there!
******All sales will be cash only.********

My Little Book of Inspiration Class

I will be teaching this class at Collective Journey in Redlands

My Little Book of Inspiration

Class description:
Create a book that highlights what you find inspiring; quotes, people, places, songs, poems, and of course pictures. When you are done you will have a handy resource to turn to when you feel like you are losing your scrapbooking mojo, or you need a little inspiration in your life. Join me and prepared to be inspired!

$30.00

Saturday May 31st, 10:30am – 12:30pm