Scrap Fever

So the last few days I have had scrap fever! It all started when I scrapped those cute pictures of that adorable Caitlyn. Then, I just couldn't stop. I have been ignoring the laundry, my looming workload (only 5 more days until I have to be Kindergarten ready... ack!), the list of phone calls I needed to make this week, everything! But, I actually finished Kyla's 2005-2006 book. It has 42 pages of 8 1/2 by 11 goodness. I started this book in 2006 (when I made the "Be a Gypsy" layout) you can go by and look at it in my 2006 archives if you want. This morning I made the layout above.... one of my favorites. I just love this picture of Kyla and Pepper. So now I have been looking at the pictures in Mason's 2006 album. It is a photo sleeve album, so even though it has 32 pages, it should come together pretty quickly. Hopefully before 2010!

Little Accomplishments

So today was a fairly productive day.
1. I made 2 scrapbook layouts of sweet Cindyanna's Caitlyn. This is the first... well, part of it anyway. I have photoshopped it a little to protect the innocent!
2. I ironed 3 very large, very wrinkly kitchen chair covers for our kitchen area. You know, those cool ones they have in the Pottery Barn catalog which are made of linen or something. Mine came from Target and are made of cotton or something equally difficult to get wrinkles out of. They look a heck of a lot better than my old chairs, though! (I did this while watching Harry Potter)
3. I dusted the entire living room area. (While still watching Harry Potter)
4. I organized all of my 2008 pictures into 6 places... a family album to be scrapbooked, K's album to be scrapbooked, M's album to be scrapbooked, 3 little mini albums for events, a sleeve type of album for pictures I don't want to scrapbook, and the trash. This took a very long while and used up all of my energy. I had to keep moving things out of the "to be scrapbooked" albums and into the sleeve album. I had vowed not to add any pages to the album of pictures to be scrapbooked, and it was full by October or so. Anyway, it is done, and I am thinking I may work a little on my "Welcome 2008" album. I think there's a post about it somewhere in January if you're interested.

Anyway, here's to little accomplishments! Cheers!

Peace, Love and Merry Days

Just wanted to say I hope your days this week are full of peace and love and merriment. Last Saturday, my mom and my sister and her 3 girls and my 1 girl all loaded up and drove through ice and sleet and snow to go to Granny's Christmas party. It was a terrific day with lots of laughter and chatting and catching up. I am always amazed at how lively and energetic my Granny is at 76. I pray for that when I am older. On the way home we stopped and played in the snow for a little bit.
Here is Kyla looking awkward.

And Alyssa. Gotta love those teenagers!

Here is Madi getting ready to whack me with a snowball.

Alivia chasing someone.

And my favorite is my mom. She was really into the snowball fight. Every time she threw a snowball she would stick her tongue out. I wish I'd have gotten a picture of that!

Merry Christmas!

The post in which....

I apologize for feeling so sorry for myself like a big blubber-er.
Anyway, things are feeling much less hectic around here now. I have finished my work (at school anyway) for 2008, and I don't think I forgot anything really important.
Wrapped and sent students' presents? CHECK
Gave gifts/cards to work people? CHECK
Sent gifts to parent helpers home? CHECK
Put items in bags for custodians and secretaries? CHECK
Sent home giant bags full of work and messy gingerbread houses? CHECK
Ate delicious piece of cake left on my desk by former parent? OOOOOPS!

Uh oh! I hope their aren't any ants in my room when I get back to work next week!

A quick note (or maybe not so quick)

Life is so complicated sometimes. For so many days and weeks and months we have been waiting for our house to sell. We have been kind of on hold... like we are not living our life like we should until the house sells... like we can't be happy until the house sells... like nothing is ever sweet enough or completely fulfilling until the house sells.

Well, now the house has sold, and I have fallen into a deep dark hole of depression. For about 4 weeks now, off and on, I have been sleeping poorly, eating unhealth-ily, exercising irregularly, and feeling horrible. I dream about which drawer or cupboard the pots and pans should go in. I wake up in the middle of the night worrying about getting recycling containers. I carry pictures around the house for hours wondering where I should hang them. I feel frantic and frenetic for 18 hours of most every day.

I know part of this is due to hormones (I have been seeing a doctor to help with issues dealing with peri-menopause), but also I think I have just been under this enormous weight of pressure for so long, that I am going through a period of decompression. I am shedding the weight of all of that expectation and waiting and disappointment mostly through tears (I can feel them building up in the back of my throat even now), but I am also yelling at my kids too much and snapping at my husband too much. It is getting better little by little. Soon I hope to be back to normal. I am wishing you will keep checking in here, and not write me off as hopeless.

I will be back, I promise.

Love, Nancy

Taking a Break

I know it's a little late to be telling you this, but obviously life has gotten too complicated, and I need a little blogging break. Will try to get back before Christmas, but no promises.