This is what it's all about...

We went to Christmas Eve services, and Pastor played a video. This was not it...but the message of the video was that Christ's birth was not what was important... it was his death that is what has saved us all... This video just kind of brings that home...THIS is what Christmas is all about! Thanks Brad Paisley and Sara Evens for a beautiful song!

Today...

Would have been my mother's 82nd birthday. She died on May 22, 2006, and I miss her bunches. I wouldn't bring her back to be what she was for all the money in the world, for she was in pain and suffering....but as the Christmas holiday nears I think of her and daddy often.

They wanted so much for us kids. They never really had the means to give it to us. And then there were the other circumstances that kept them from living the dreams that they so wanted to live...

I hope they're together.
I hope they're happy.
I hope that all of the problems that plagued them on this earth have gone and that all that's left is the love they had.

Not all of my siblings share my feelings for our parents. Our parents weren't the best parents in the world, but you have to consider that they didn't have the best role models to work from...

None of it matters now anyway. What is in the past is often best LEFT in the past. Water under the bridge and all of that. Move onward, and hopefully UPward....to better things...a lesson that was taught yet again this week. One I will remember.

Anyway....Happy Birthday Mama...I love you!

Little update on my previous post...

Goodness...within just a couple of hours of posting my previous post, I've been banned from the Shanty!!
Kat called me, let me know that she'd look like a fool if she didn't ban me. Wonder if that's how Jenny felt?

Those girls just don't get it...it's too bad.

I'm pretty much done...

I mentioned in a past post that I was a DT member at the Scrapbook Chalet. When the Chalet transfered to my friend, Kat, I was just automatically dumped as a DT member.
No one talked to me about it...no one asked if I minded, wanted to stay, or told me I wasn't good enough to be on the DT there. It was just assumed that I wouldn't mind being Admin. No one thought about whether or not my feelings would be hurt, but it wasn't important.
Ok...so I'll deal with that. My feelings were hurt, but obviously, Kat's friends Carrie and Kim were more important. I can actually deal with that too....I've learned over the years NOT to put too much importance into internet friendships. They're like the rest of the stuff in our world today...too disposable.
Moving on. I get a call yesterday from Kat, telling me that Carrie and Kim don't want to put me into the product rotation because I hurt Carrie's feelings by "picking on her" when I told her that storms on the US coasts are hurricanes, and when you cross the International dateline they become typhoons. Seems I made her feel stupid by pointing that out. Wasn't my intention, but seems that both Carrie and Kim feel I was dissing Carrie....
Ok...all I can say to that is if the shoe fits, put both of them on! (Who burdens a child with a name like "Calliope" anyway? I'm sure that kid is going to grow up being horibly teased and made fun of..I feel sorry for her, because from what I understand, she's a sweet, loving child...and if she is, her feelings are going to be hurt that much more by the ignorance of her parents in naming her something so easily distorted into nasty names!)

I'm done at the Shanty. It's not worth my time to deal with women who are so petty that they won't even talk about what I've done or give me a chance to apologise for offenses that I wasn't even aware of. I sent PMs to both Carrie and Kim saying that I understood we had a problem and asking if they wanted to talk about it... Neither of them has the intestinal fortitude (the nice way of saying they don't have guts enough) to answer me and tell me first hand what the problem is. They'd rather backstab and whine to Kat behind my back.

So be it. There comes a time, in Minda's (from TS) words, to let go of expectations and accept things the way they are. Wise woman, Minda. I'm having a blast at Tally Scrappers anyway...and Christine has a KILLER inventory in her store...I'm even applying for the DT there...not that I stand a chance of making it, but it's fun to imagine...

Many of my friends are already there. They love it there too, and are loved there. It's a great online community...much like real life communities, with different folks and different personalities and "sub-communities" peacefully co-existing within the bounds of social acceptance. It doesn't matter there that I don't go to church, nor does it matter that I can be a crusty old woman who says what she thinks. I don't know how to explain it. It's just more like "home"....it's more real, warmer, and welcoming than you can imagine....give it a try! :) You'll find it at www.tallyscrappers.com

Keeping your perspective...

My youngest son, Ray, during his first tour of duty in Iraq. The photo isn't a good one, it was taken with a cell phone. I was so thankful to get it tho....I sure miss my kids...*ALL* of them!




Got this in my email today, and loved it!

KEEPING YOUR PERSPECTIVE


Your alarm goes off, you hit the snooze and sleep for another 10 minutes.

He stays up for days on end.


You take a warm shower to help you wake up.
He goes days or weeks without running water.

You complain of a "headache," and call in sick.
He gets shot at, as others are hit, he keeps moving forward.


You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go
meet up with your friends.
He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.


You make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket.
He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.


You talk trash on your "buddies" that aren't with you.
He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.


You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.
He walks the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.


You complain about how hot it is.
He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow.


You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order
wrong
He does not get to eat today.


Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.
He wears the same things for months, but makes sure his weapons are
clean.


You go to the mall and get your hair redone.
He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today.


You are angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.
He is told he will be held an extra 2 months.


You call your girlfriend and set a date for that night.
He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.


You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.
He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.


You roll your eyes as a baby cries.
He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if
they'll ever meet.


You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.
He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own government
and remembers why he is fighting.


You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of the men like him.
He hears the gun fire and bombs.

You see only what the media wants you to see.
He sees the bodies lying around him.


You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't.
He does what he is told.


You stay at home and watch TV.
He takes whatever time he is given to call and write home,sleep,and eat.


You crawl into your bed, with down pillows, and try to get comfortable.
He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap, only to be woken by
gun fire.

You pray God will bless your life today.
He prays that God will give him another day of life.

How Cool!

I'm excited! Let me explain....

In June, I made a flying trip to California to help sort thru my mother's belongings. As we went through things, we found a couple of Bibles. One of them was engraved "Lynn Drain", and had a certificate from a VBS for "Sherry Drain". I brought the Bibles home and posted on Ancestry.com in the message boards about them, hoping to be able to make a connection and get these Bibles back to where they rightfully belong.
I made a connection!!! Lynn Drain Jr. posted on the Ancestry board some of his history, and that history includes residence in Delta County, Colorado! Guess where we lived for many years? :) In fact, Mom was a nurse at the hospital there!

I'm positive now, that this Bible belonged to either this guy's dad, or maybe even to Lynn Jr. himself! I can't wait to hear from him, and to get this Bible back to him where it belongs!!!

Saying Goodbye...

We fell SO in love with this little kitten...both of us....even tho William didn't want him to begin with, and I'm allergic to cats and dogs both, we fell head over heels. Such a little love. So playful and funny. His favorite places to be were either on my chest, rubbing his nose on my chin and nose, or on William's lap, just cuddling and sleeping while William absently rubbed his back or side...

He's gone now. We had to say goodbye to our little love. No more kitty-cuddles. No more loud purring at 5am, or licks on the face and neck at the same un-godly hour! No slaps on the cheek in an effort to get someone to feed him at 5:30am.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) took him from us. We'd noticed a fat belly, but thought that was from his eating like a pig! Then he stopped eating like a pig, but still got fatter. We took him to the vet, who diagnosed him with FIP, and regretfully told us there was no cure for it, and that sometime in the next couple of weeks, Chester would die a rather miserable death.

Hardest thing I've ever had to do was to tell the vet to give him the shot. We left work and hurried to the office to say goodbye. I cuddled him against my chest...one of his favorite spots....and he managed a bit of a purr for me. Then while William cuddled him in his arms, the vet gave him the injection. He cheerfully purred away his last moments in William's arms, while we both sobbed our goodbyes and love for him...

It was hard to say it, time to say it...Goodbye...Goodbye....

I'm under orders...

To update my blog! YESSUM MIZ LEAH....I'm gettin' right on it, M'am! ;)

Let's see...what's new? Nothing really. I'm still fighting cellulitis in my left leg. It's starting to look worse all the time. Not only swollen, but red, scaley, nasty! Now it's advanced to hurting. For those of you that don't know me well, I don't feel pain like most people do. Example: When my appendix ruptured, the only reason I had to go to the doctor was because I couldn't keep anything down. I had absolutely NO abdominal pain what-so-ever. I did however, have a white blood cell count over 26,000. (Normal is 4000 to 10000....roughly)

Hey! Really big news! I've smoked ciggarettes since I was 13 years old. At some times in my life, as many as 4 packs a day. more recently, a pack a day. I started taking a pill called Chantix about a month and a half ago. Eight days ago, I put down the smokes. Decided that I was done. Then I decided that, "Damn! What the HELL was I thinking??" and almost went and got a pack. William wouldn't let me. Three days went by and I was snapping and snarling at him somethin' fierce! Then I got smart. I bummed a cigg from one of the guys we work with! I was almost GLEEFUL! I actually giggled as I tucked it away in a little box on my bookcase....you know...to save for later. Except "later" still hasn't come. It's still there. I think that I just didn't want anyone telling me that I couldn't have a cigg, or that I couldn't smoke. NOT that I haven't had moments when I wanted a smoke. Really bad. But they always pass as soon as I think about something else.
I think I'm gonna be ok! I don't think I could have done it without the Chantix. If you're a smoker, and you WANT to quit, it's the "easy" route to take! You might feel a little bit queasy at first. Just make sure that you take it with something in your stomach...after breakfast and after dinner. The other thing....it's expensive. But I was going thru 30 packs of cigs a month, at about 3.76 per pack. That's $112.80 a month I was burning up. Chantix, purchased at Walmart or Fred Meyers, costs about $108 a month. I'm actually saving money with the Chantix. It's so worth it!

Check it out! Am I not just a cutie? :D This photo was taken on my first birthday, and that's my mama hanging onto me. It's been nearly 50 years...my 51st birthday is the 8th. So much water under the bridge. So much....

I Really Should...

Update my blog more often! So much has happened lately that I'm way behind! Let's see...where to start?

That Scrapbook Chalet DT position that I was so proud of? Non-existant now. Laura decided to give the Chalet to Kat, because, (cheer now! :D ) Laura is getting two children to foster, with the possibility of adopting! YEA! I'm so tickled for her!! She's going to be super busy, and didn't think she'd have time for the message boards and gallery, so she handed them over to Kat.
Kat didn't pick me up as a part of her design team, altho she kept me on as admin...I'm not sure how much help I will be to her, but I'll do my best! :) At any rate, the board's been renamed the ScrapShanty, and should remain the same fun place to chat as it was before the switch. Now I just have to decide whether or not to reload my layouts...only two of them made it thru the change-over...the rest got deleted. I hate making people look at and remark again on layouts they've already seen, so most likely won't reload...

Mikki pointed out a "new" (to us) board...a place called "TallyScrappers"! OMG, WHAT A FUN BOARD! I'm still in the process of learning the site and figuring out how to navigate since it's set up like nothing I've see before, but I'm having a blast doing that! :D There's a link on the right side of this page, go check the place out!! I think if you explore it a bit, you'll love it as much as I am right now! You haven't LIVED until you've had some TallyPoints POWER under your belt!! ~grin~

Gotta go for now, will try to get here soon...maybe even today and post more!

Meet Chester D Kitty!

My new baby, Chester (because he likes to sit on my chest) D. (short for...well...you figure it out) Kitty!
He's an adorable, loving, wildly affectionate kitty! Some friends had his sister, and when I met that kitten, I knew I had to bring her brother home. These kittens lost their mother when they were a day or so old, and the son of these friends bottle fed all four kittens.

You can tell, he loves being with "Mom"...and it's rare that an animal or child prefers me to William, so I'm loving it! If you don't put your chin down to his for "kisses" then he'll paw at your face until you do!

A Whirlwind Trip

Well Sportsfans...it was a heck of a week! I left on Monday the 31st of July to San Diego, California, to help my sister sort out our mother's belongings...got there at about 2:00 in the afternoon, and we dug right in. Worked until about midnight, and up again and back to work by 7:30am! Worked outside in the garage where the boxes were stored until about 3:00pm. Man! Was it ever hot! I was totally soaked by the time we finished with THAT part!
Then we started in on another batch that was in the upper garage. These boxes we were able to take into the house to go through. Mom's jewelry and photos. We spent hours going through albums and removing photos from those old magnetic things! I brought the majority of the photos home with me to scan, most of the originals will go back to my sister. I certainly don't mind, as I never scrap with the originals anyway. I can fix the cracks and scratches in the photos and print them in larger sizes so that I have a better than original photo....I'm happy with that!

So many memories flooding so few days. A few tears were shed, but not many. Many more smiles were shared. More than a few giggles.

And Shirley? If you read this....IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY, BABY!! ~laffin~

WOOHOO!

Check it out!! Laura at the Scrapbook Chalet was kind enough to choose me to be one of her Creative Crew for this new term! I'm so excited about it, and so jazzed to think that with the positive attitudes of this new team that we'll be able to promote the site and Laura's store and kit club to new levels!

I think, that if you'll surf on over to The Scrapbook Chalet and check out the friendly, "No Snarks Allowed" atmosphere you'll like what you find. It's a place to talk about scrapping, to play, to share our lives with others that have the same interests. It's a safe haven where you can play and post and know that no one is going to make fun of you or look down on you. The whole purpose of the Chalet is to promote FUN in scrapbooking. And it's good to know too, that the store is right there, and that Laura will be able to provide you with products that will inspire you to create some happy pages!

Please come play with us...we'd love to have you!

Have you ever...?

Just drawn a blank at what to post on your blog? Seems like I'm busier than ever, but what do I have to say that would be interesting?

My sub to Ancestry.com runs out next month, and I don't think I'll be renewing it for awhile...I need to catch up on the research that I've already done first. Get it all typed into my program, and then get some little books printed up for William's family. They're all interested, they just don't want to do the research!

On a more positive genealogical note, I've found a woman that has one branch of my family researched all the way back to the pilgrims!! How totally cool is that? I'm so excited to research them, and the era in which they lived! I do love history, and genealogy just makes it "personal"...kwim?

NOW for some REALLY exciting news!! Remember I told you about the Scrapbook Chalet and what a cool place it is to hang out for scrappers? Laura has issued a call for her bi-annual DT search!! If you make the DT, you qualify for discounts at her store, store GC's, and get a free kit every month! I do believe that I'm going to try for it, although there are some seriously AWESOME scrappers entering...if you're reading this and you haven't already applied, you certainly SHOULD! Come to think about it, if you're reading this and you haven't checked out the Scrapbook Chalet you really ought to go visit! The women there are super friendly, caring, and fun! Let me share some examples with you, and these are just a FEW of the wonderful people you'll find there:

Laura: The owner of the Chalet...and an ACTIVE owner at that! You'll love her. (This is would be a definate suck-up here...but it's also my TRUE and HONEST opinion...if you bother to get to know me better, you'll find out that I don't say things like that that I don't mean!)
Kat: This little Texan will keep you in stitches! Honestly!
MamaTam (Tammy): One of the sweetest women you'll ever meet! (And only slightly corrupt these days...but it's all Kat's fault....honest! ;) )
Jozzie: OMG! You're gonna LOVE Joz...she's our resident wino and spell checker! Need a recommendation for a good red to go with your spaghetti? Need to know how to SPELL "spaghetti"? This is your girl! :D
Becky: She's right up there with MamaTam in the "sweet" department! Highly pubbed scrapper too....you'll love her as much as I do!
Dawn: She's an incredibly talented woman, who is famous for her "chat about nothing or everything" daily posts.

That's just a few of the terrific women you're going to find at the Chalet. By no means is it everyone...nor does it include the celebrities that you'll find popping in from time to time...sometimes to post, sometimes for a scheduled chat. Nor does it include the incredible talent that you're going to find in the gallery! OMG! TO DIE FOR!!

Go check it out, I promise you won't be sorry!

Awwwww...C'mon....

Really now! Does the "Anon" poster that left a comment on my previous post honestly think that I'm going to be impressed with their opinion? I left it, because everyone is entitled to an opinon, and because I honestly don't care what someone who is too cowardly to let me know who they are thinks!

I *WILL* respond to it tho, because like I've said many times in the past, I truely enjoy messing around with the minds of mental midgets!

As for the War in Iraq. I fully support it. Period. Did I say I thought it was cool? Nah. Did I jump up and down for joy when it started? Nope. Did, and do I think it's necessary? Yep. It's kind of like taking out the garbage. Ain't pleasant, no one WANTS to, but it's gotta be done. Is anyone going to change my mind on the issue? Not likely, and definately not by leaving an anon post.

As for "couple dressing"? Does "Anon" honestly think I'm going to care what he/she thinks about it? Gimme a break! We don't do it often, but we DO like to dress in matching shirts on occasion. If I cared what anyone else thought about it, I'd have asked the world before we bought the shirts! If I was in my teens or twenties, I might get all upset that someone in this world might not like me for "couples dressing"...I'm well beyond that age and stage of life tho. I seldom bow to peer pressure. I really don't give a rip who might think I'm weird, or a nerd, other than my own best friend and husband.

So tell me Anon, knowing what you know now...what did you accomplish with your comment?

Family Matters....

Awwwwwwwwwww....matching shirts...aren't they cute? We actually LIKE to match when we go out. It lets everyone know that we're together. We like everyone knowing that! This was taken at my niece's 25th anniversary party.

Yesterday we found out that William's Uncle Jimmie died last week. Now we didn't know Uncle Jimmie, because of family stuff, William never met him. (at least not as an adult) We found out when a cousin that I've been emailing wrote and told me that he was disappointed that he didn't get to meet us at Jimmie's funeral. I had to write back and tell him that we had no idea, that no one called us to let us know!

Yes, we'd have gone to the funeral. At the very least, if we couldn't have traveled for the funeral, we'd have sent flowers. We weren't given the opportunity, and I let William's stepmom know that I wasn't happy about it. Nicely, but I let her know.

There's a silver lining tho. Jimmie's daughter, Freda, used to call us when we first got married 8 years ago. Then we lost touch. I went to the funeral home website to read Uncle Jimmie's obit, and there was a guestbook. In that guestbook was a message from Freda, and all of her information! I called her this afternoon. She was so excited to hear from us, that she called back FOUR times! She was so cute....trying to catch us up on all her news. I think she may have thought at first that we were just another part of the family after her "newfound" money. It seems that she spent a year in the hospital after she was hit by an eighteen wheeler owned by Coors. She was given a 2 million dollar settlement. She made mention that she suddenly had lots of friendly family and friends. I let her know toot-sweet that 1. I had no idea that she'd be in an accident and had gotten a settlement. and 2. I don't want her money! After she realized that, there was no more talk of money....just family stuff that no one else in the family seems to think we need to know about!

It was good to talk to Freda. It's good that there are those in the family that will welcome us with open arms. I wish so much that we could have the same relationship with William's dad and stepmom, but I don't think it'll ever happen. I'm going to keep trying tho!

~sigh~

Good Sunday to You!

I hope that everyone is having a wonderful, peaceful, happy Sunday.
Isn't this photo beautiful? My Sweet William, walking on the beach at Brookings, Oregon. I love it. There's such a sense of peacefulness to it. Even with listening to the waves crashing in the background, it just made my soul sing...

There's nothing quite like the beach to me. I love it. I want so badly to live there. To be able to walk on the beach in the mornings and evenings. To watch the sun set reflecting on the water. To find tiny treasures that the ocean has relinquished to the sandy beach. To smell the salt air. ~sigh~ There's nothing in this world like it, and I can't wait to be able to go again. Probably for our anniversary on May 30th. We'll have a 3 day weekend that week.

I so want to take my kids there. I want the boys to be able to go fishing with Dad on the Ocean. I want the girls to be able to play on the beach with the kids. I want to be able to take a TON of photos!

Someday....maybe. Someday......

Oh how I fought it!

The color blue! For years I refused to admit that my favorite color was blue. I'd answer whomever asked, "Green!" "Purple!" Anything but BLUE!
I had to be different, and it seemed EVERYONE'S favorite color was blue!
I've always loved color, and if asked would tell anyone in a heartbeat that I hated orange and yellow, (I still do) and that cooler colors were my thing. (they still are) I can finally admit it tho, I love blue. I love the calm of it. It's the color of my favorite place to be...the ocean. It's the color of a warm summer sky. It's the color of William's eyes. It's the color that dominates in my life and in my home.

It's my favorite color. Imagine that. Blue. Whodda thunk it?

Another one of my older layouts. We had such fun in Las Vegas when we were there a few years ago...I really want to go back. The journaling on this layout reads:

What a Man!

My husband... When I saw an opportunity to have a photo of him with real Vegas Showgirls, I asked him to go pose with them. Did this man of mine balk? Did he hesitate? Did he pout? Nope! Obedient husband that he is, he trotted right over to wrap an arm around each of them and pose! SUCH a good man! Poor guy, after the picture was taken, he came back to me, gave me a kiss and said, "Not much to hang onto there..." and then added, "No boobies, either!" He is SO abused!

(end quote) ~laffin~ He's so cute! He never fails to make me laugh, and he goes out of his way to make me happy. I found a true treasure when I found this man...or rather, when he found me. It took me a long time to figure out when he wasn't happy with me...he very seldom says anything...he simply doesn't do things that he normally does...like dishes...or he'll leave my laundry for me to wash. Stuff like that. Then I know to suck up a bit and try to figure out what I did to upset him.

The reason I'm dedicating this post to him, our love and friendship is because I made a cake for our niece's 25th wedding anniversary. He was not only behind me every step of the way, he helped to ice the cake, and he did a wonderful job of transporting it (loading it in the car, unloading it at Shirley's house) and of helping me to set it up. It just reminds me of what a wonderful guy he is, and why I love him so much!

Scrapbook Chalet: Have I mentioned how awesome this site is for scrappers? Let me tell you what's been going on there lately. There have been contests galore...and Laura just posted a new one, Designing Like a Star. You can read about it here: http://www.scrapbookchalet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2953

The other thing I need to tell you about these ladies that hang out there is about their wonderful, generous hearts! We have a member, Tracey, who has a little girl that is absolutely precious. Little Miz Gabi was born with some health problems that have caused her parents much worry. She just recently had her sixth surgery to try to correct some of these problems. The ladies of the Chalet not only made and donated for auction some lovely items, but are now in the process of bidding their hearts out to help raise some $$ for Gabi's bills. The auction ends tonight...check it out if you get a chance....and bid!! :)

Grandpa, Tell Me `Bout the Good Old Days...

I so wish I could sit down with my grandfather and find out what he knew about our ancestors. Can't happen. The one that you see pictured died when I was 8. He was my mother's dad. My father's dad died 2 years before I was born.

I've missed so many opportunities! I've only been interested in genealogy for the past couple of years, and when I think of everyone that I could have asked about my ancestors, the ones that are gone now, I could kick myself! My Auntie Evelyn, the oldest of my dad's siblings, who could have told me so many stories, and in fact tried to, but I wouldn't listen. My great grandmother, who didn't pass until she was 102 years old, when I was 28. Other aunts, uncles, cousins. People that KNEW the very ancestors that I quest for information about.

I guess what I'm trying to share here, by relating my own bad example, is to TALK to your elders! Auntie Yoohoo can tell you about her grandparents. She'll share the story that her grandmother told her. She'll help you to bring your family's past to life.

You might think that you're not interested now. And you may never really be interested. But you might. And on the chance that you might be interested in the future, ask the questions now. Write the stories down. Even if you aren't interested, do it for your kids, or for your grandchildren.

It's important.

It really is.

I promise.

What makes a good site to hang out at?

I love this photo! Well...mostly. I hate that it shows how fat I really am, but I love that it shows me with my best friend in the whole world, William. :)

Anyway...on to the subject at hand. Internet communities. Interesting places, each with a dynamic of it's own.
Started at "Our Creative Companion". Let's just say that it didn't work out and leave it at that. There are still some hard feelings, I think, on both sides.
Kat started the Scrapbook Jungle, and it was home for 4 years. Was a wonderful community, until it got close to the end, and people started leaving. We tried so hard to revive it, and ended up getting burned out. Of course, we didn't have any help at all from the owner...Abby (long story, but she got the place from Kat..FREE). Water under the bridge.
So I ventured over to Scrap That Moment. Looked like a friendly, wonderful place to hang out. And it was, for awhile. Until it came to light that the owner is slightly narcissistic. Well...maybe a bit more than "slightly". And maybe just a tad.... well...nuff said. It turned out to not be the place for me, even tho there are still people there that I like, very much! Can't recommend hanging out there tho.

My new hangout? Scrapbook Chalet! Check it out. Many of the ladies that I met at STM are now there at the Chalet. I LOVE IT! It's fun, it's friendly, and it's fast paced. I'm a bit embarrassed to post any of my layouts tho...that gallery is simply intimidating! The talent there ROCKS, and my slapped together layouts just don't measure up. You can't ask for better inspiration tho, and I'm looking forward to learning a lot from these awesome scrappers!

Also need to say that it's good to be hooked up with Kat again! :) We have such fun together!

Just way cool...

Meet Deputy Joye and...uhmmmm...I forgot the other human's name, but I'd like to introduce to Deputy Missy and Deputy Narc as well. (I promise I'll find out the man's name as soon as possible....I'm rather embarrassed!) If you can detect from Deputy Narc's name, these dogs are drug sniffers. They're both pretty good at the jobs they do too, as are their handlers.

I was amazed at how playful and friendly these two canine officers were! Missy, the lab, was super hyper and Deputy Joye told me about how the dogs are really playing games in their own minds. Said even the police dogs that you see attacking perps are just playing tug o' war! I learned a lot today about them when they came to the facility that I work at and trained. It was totally cool, and I can't wait to watch them the next time they come! I was welcomed to take photos, talk, throw things at or for the dogs...so they could train them to keep working thru the distractions. Amazing! I really appreciate the job these deputies do. I don't have much use for druggies...they're leaches on society. I'm all for doing what can be done to help them clean up, and I'm all for doing what can be done to stop them from selling and using drugs in our communities! I happily told the deputies that they are welcome on our property at any time, day or night to train!

Let me share a few more photos...



Find it Missy!









Good Girl!!




Your turn Narc! Find it Buddy!!











*sniff, sniff,* This was taken just before he found the dope. GOOD DOG!!

Sweet dogs, very nice handlers. Our facility was a training haven for them, and I'm sure they'll be back soon! I hope so! I need MORE pictures! :)

It's ALL her fault!

It's all her fault, this obsession of mine with genealogy! This is Mary Ann Aitken MacKenzie. My great great grandmother. My mother's father's father's mother. My sister scanned some old photos that my mother had, this one was among them. See the "beauty spot" near her mouth? It's natural. I have it too. While I don't look exactly like her, I do have a lot of her features, and I'm guessing that from the twinkle that you can detect in her eyes, we probably would have shared a sense of humor as well! ;)

Anyway...it's her fault. My genealogy addiction. When I got this photo, I wanted to scrap it. Knew nothing about her except for her name and who she was within my family tree. So I went to my old standby, Google, and I typed in her name. I found a website that listed her, along with other family members back to the WAYYYYYYbacks! Goodness! A goldmine of information! I then wondered how much information I could find by typing in other family names. I went to www.familysearch.org. I went to Rootsweb and Ancestry.com I went to Genealogy.com. I was all over the web, and finding more information than I could shake a stick at. I even found a famous ghost in my family tree! :D (Can't wait to meet her....someday!)

It's become a mission. I *need* to find out more information. It's not enough to know that I had relatives that were some of the first "whites" in San Diego, California. It's not enough to know that I had two uncles that fell at the Battle of Shiloh in 1862. It's not enough to know that William's 5th great grandfather fought with the Swamp Fox during the Revolutionary War, or that his father supplied the Fox's troops with food and horses.

I....MUST...know....MORE!

Well...here it is...

I promised photos of my little scrap space, so here they are! :)

Remember, while it may not seem like a lot, it's mine, and I'm happy with it! ;) There's still some work to be done on it, but it's at least somewhat presentable, which may not be the case after I've actually scrapped something! ~grin~

Scrapbooking is so important to me. Something I never thought I'd say six years ago, but as I become more and more involved in genealogy, the more I realize the importance of it. Maybe not to the world in general, or even to ALL of my family, but someone, someday is going to treasure the work I've done, whether it's work that can be considered stellar or not. I know this, because history repeats itself, and I'm fasinated with the scrapbooks of my ancestors!

The cabinet that you see in these photos is one that William found for me at a used office furniture store. It was dirty, dusty, and had some kind of adhesive residue on the top of it. A little elbow grease and orange oil furniture wax did wonders for it's looks! It didn't have shelves with it, so William arranged for the store to give him some extra doors that they had and he cut and fit shelves for me. I love it! My little desk? A Walmart cheapie, of course. It's going to work for me tho, at least until I can get something better. I love my corkboard with the Prima flowers around it. Super simple, and maybe not the most artistic thing in the world, but I still like it. They're bright, happy little flowers, and it amuses me to look up and see them. And finally! I draped my ribbons over a dowel hung with cup hooks. I can see what I have and not have to dig thru a drawer for them! :)

Edith Ann....nuff said!

I loved Edith Ann...Lily Tomlin's character of the 70's....such a HOOT!! :) When chatting with my friend Julie tonight, somehow Edith Ann popped into the conversation. I couldn't resist going and finding this clip! Not her funniest, but still pretty darned good!

How much fun is this?

Jozzie challenged me to post this, she got the idea from Nancy. Isn't it fun? Go find out what your birthday means!

Your Birthdate: November 8

Watch out Donald Trump! You've got a head for business and money. You'll make it rich some day, even if you haven't figured out how yet. A supreme individualist, you shouldn't get stuck in a corporate job. Instead, make your own way - so that you can be the boss. Your strength: Your undying determination Your weakness: You require an opulent lifestyle Your power color: Plum Your power symbol: Dollar sign Your power month: August

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Just more pics of the PGR

The PGR riding into Redmond....these bikers are so impressive to me! Each and everyone of them has a heart of gold and is truly heartbroken at the loss of each solider. I encourage you to visit their website!



This is the Memorial Hummer that a woman in Portland had painted in her son's memory, and the images on the rear panel are of him and the others that died with him. These were taken at the funeral of Private Thomas Tucker of Madras, OR , one of the two soliders that were captured and tortured in Iraq. More than a thousand people showed up for that funeral, and bikers came from all over the country to ride in his honor guard. They came past where I live, at least 300 bikes....I could hear them coming for several minutes before I saw them.

If you'd like to know more about the PGR, go to www.patriotguard.org They're an awesome organization!

I got this in my email this morning...

Have you heard of the PGR? (Patriot Guard Riders) This group of motorcycle loving Veterans and Patriots are all about honoring our military and Veterans. They're totally awesome. Remember that whacked out Baptist church from Kansas that was protesting at the funerals of our soliders killed in Iraq and Afghanistan? Saying that these soliders died because of America's tolerant attitude towards gays? (~grumble~ IDIOTS!!) Anyway...one of the things these bikers do is to attend the funerals of our soliders, show respect by lining up and saluting the funeral procession, and they also stand as a barrier between the whacko people protesting and the family and other mourners so that the family is not hurt by their nasty remarks and accusations! I LOVE THE PGR, and will post more photos today of a couple of the funerals that they attended here in Central Oregon. In the meantime, this is what I got in my email this morning...I loved it!

Pastor Ted L. CrandallLCDR, CHC, U.S. Navy26th Marine Expeditionary Unit
Honor never grows old, and honor rejoices the heart of age. It does so because honor is, finally, about defending those noble and worthy things that deserve defending, even if it comes at a high cost. In our time, that may mean social disapproval, public scorn, hardship, persecution, or even death itself. The question remains: What is worth defending? What is worth dying for? What is worth living for? "Most of the people in our society are sheep. They are kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one another by accident." What this means is that the vast majority of Americans are not inclined to hurt one another. They are sheep. I mean nothing negative by calling them sheep."Then there are the wolves, and the wolves feed on the sheep without mercy." Do you believe there are wolves out there who will feed on the flock without mercy? You better believe it. There are evil men in this world and they are capable of evil deeds. The moment you forget that or pretend it is not so, you become a sheep. There is no safety in denial."Then there are sheepdogs, and we are the sheepdogs. I live to protect the flock and confront the wolf." If you have no capacity for violence then you are a healthy productive citizen, you are sheep. If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive sociopath, you are a wolf. But what if you have a capacity for violence, and a deep love for your fellow citizens? What do you have then? A sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is walking the hero's path. Someone who can walk into the heart of darkness, and walk out unscathed."Let me expand on this excellent model of the sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs. We know that the sheep live in denial; that is what makes them sheep. They do not want to believe that there is evil in the world. The sheep generally do not like the sheepdog. He looks a lot like the wolf. He has fangs and the capacity for violence. The difference, though, is that the sheepdog must not, can not and will not ever harm the sheep. Still, the sheepdog disturbs the sheep. He is a constant reminder that there are wolves in the land. They would prefer that he didn't tell them where to go, or give them traffic tickets, or stand at the ready in foreign lands holding an M-16. The sheep would much rather have the sheepdog trade in his fangs, spray-paint himself white, and go, "Baa."Until the wolf shows up. Then the entire flock tries desperately to hide behind one lonely sheepdog.Look at what happened after September 11, 2001 when the wolf pounded hard on the door. Remember how America, more than ever before, felt differently about their law enforcement officers and military personnel? Remember how many times you heard the word hero?Understand that there is nothing morally superior about being a sheepdog; it is just what you choose to be. Also understand that a sheepdog is a funny critter: He is always sniffing around out on the perimeter, checking the breeze, barking at things that go bump in the night, and yearning for a righteous battle. That is, the young sheepdogs yearn for a righteous battle. The old sheepdogs are a little older and wiser, but they move to the sound of the guns when needed right along with the young ones. Here is how the sheep and the sheepdog think differently. The sheep pretend the wolf will never come, but the sheepdog lives for that day. After the attacks on September 11, 2001, most of the sheep, that is, most citizens in America said, "Thank God I wasn't on one of those planes." The sheepdogs, the warriors, said, "Dear God, I wish I could have been on one of those planes. Maybe I could have made a difference." When you are truly transformed into a warrior and have truly invested yourself into warriorhood, you want to be there. You want to be able to make a difference.Some people may be destined to be sheep and others might be genetically primed to be wolves or sheepdogs. But I believe that most people can choose which one they want to be, and I'm proud to say that more and more Americans are choosing to become sheepdogs.If you want to be a sheep, then you can be a sheep and that is okay, but you must understand the price you pay. When the wolf comes, you and your loved ones are going to die if there is not a sheepdog there to protect you. If you want to be a wolf, you can be one, but the sheepdogs are going to hunt you down and you will never have rest, safety, trust or love. But if you want to be a sheepdog and walk the warrior's path, then you must make a conscious and moral decision every day to dedicate, equip and prepare yourself to thrive in that toxic, corrosive moment when the wolf comes knocking at the door.The sheep’s only response to the wolf is denial, and all too often their response to the sheepdog is scorn and disdain. But the sheepdog quietly asks himself, "Do you have any idea how hard it would be to live with yourself if your loved ones were attacked and killed, and you had to stand there helplessly because you were unprepared for that day?"And so the warrior must strive to confront denial in all aspects of his life, and prepare himself for the day when the wolf comes.If you are sheep dog and you step outside unprepared to face the wolf, then you become a sheep, pretending that the bad man will not come today. No one can be "on" 24/7, for a lifetime. Everyone needs down time. But if you are a warrior and are not prepared for the day evil comes, just take a deep breath, and say this to yourself... "Baa."

Back to Work...

It's Wednesday, but to me, it's Monday. I come back to the office every week to a list of problems that it seems no one else can solve. Some of them, I don't WANT others to try to solve, it's just easier if I do it myself. Some of them, it's just not that tough and I shake my head and roll my eyes as I read the notes about them!

Had a good couple of days off tho. William and I went out to Izzie's for dinner last night. Nice, brand new place here. Food was yummy, and we played the machines (slots) there for a bit after we ate. Didn't win, but oh well...next time maybe! ;)

After dinner, we went to see the movie, "A Night at the Museum". Frankly, while it was a good movie, I was a bit disappointed! I guess I expected more from the special effects. I got amused by them correcting Stiller on the pronunciation of "Sacajawea". They kept telling him to pronounce it as "Sac-ah-ja-wee-ah". When I lived in Montana, near the place where Sacajawea was born, I learned, from an Indian lady, that the correct way to pronounce her name was "Sa-cah-ja-way-ah. With the accent on the "cah". So everytime I heard them correcting Stiller in the movie last night, I wanted to tell them what I had learned when I lived close to her people! ~laffin~

Do you do that? Do you see errors in movies or TV programs and think "That's wrong!"? I find myself doing it a lot...especially with medical shows! I was an EMT for 14 years, and I see medical shows that demonstrate emergency techs at work, and I cringe to think of what the poor patient would go through if it were real! And for the reality shows that show the techs working on packaging a patient for transport? OH MY! There's been more than one time that I wanted to get in touch with the patient and let them know they have grounds for a lawsuit! It's scary, to say the least!

I don't mean to sound superior, I certainly don't FEEL superior! And I'm more than certain that I make mistakes that make others cringe! I guess that it's all part of what makes this world go `round, do ya think? :)

It's Sunday again...

GOOD MORNING WORLD!! <---- cuz Deborrah told me to say that! :D

Sunday Morning Coming Down...

Sheese...what an airhead I am! I thought I posted this on Sunday, instead I saved it as a draft! ~insert eyeroll here~


It's Sunday, I'm at work, and I'm NOT happy about it! It's so slow that I'm bored silly! I could be home doing lotsa other stuff...like scrapping! ;)

Nikki called me yesterday. Ray was supposed to be home from Iraq for 2 weeks of R&R, but I guess it's not going to happen. Now the dates are sometime in June or July. ~sigh~ They really NEED this time together....and the boys need to see their daddy! Scott gets so upset when he wants to talk to his dad and can't. That poor little boy just sobs....

I'm having so much fun on Scrap That Moment! Talk about a *NEAT* bunch of ladies to chat with! If you haven't been there yet, GO! You'll love it! :)

There's really not much going on here...have a bit of a cold...that kind of sucks. I do tho, still have a WONDERFUL husband that takes such good care of me! I don't always show just how much I truly appreciate him, but he's my whole world, and I love him with all of my heart! :)

WOOHOO! It's FRIDAY!!

Ok...so really, it's Monday...but it's MY Friday, and I couldn't be happier! I'll still have to wander back and forth to the office as usual, and work part of a day tomorrow to balance 8 checkbooks, but hey...I don't have to deal with customers! :)

Today was interesting....had one old man come in and throw a hissy fit because there was an error in his bill. Told me that he had been planning on putting some important papers in his storage unit, but couldn't because now he couldn't trust us. I guess I should have sucked up a bit, because the error WAS on the part of my day-off replacement, but I just couldn't! I looked him in the eye and told him that I was happy for him in his perfection, and proud as I could be of him that he'd never made a mistake of any kind, and then asked if he'd notified the Catholic Church so that he could apply for sainthood....
Let's just say that he left my office a bit more pissy than when he came in! (But his bill was fixed!)

Have tons of scrapping that I want to get done in these two days off....dunno if it's going to happen tho! Maybe, if I'm a good girl, William will go grocery shopping by himself and take care of my laundry too! :D (About all I do around the house is MY laundry, I mop the floors cuz he hates it, and I help him shop and put it away.) We do have to go out to dinner on Weds, have been invited to Bernie and Lynne's for tri-tips.....I can live with that, and I really enjoy both of them!

So now my friends, I'm going to print out a photo or two and see what I can come up with for some of the challenges at STM! I'm having so much fun NOT being a DTM...and yet I still kind of miss it! What's up with that?

My New Hangout!

http://www.scrapthatmoment.com

Goodness! What a wonderfully friendly place to be!

I was so worried that when Abby told us at the Scrapbook Jungle to either pay $1000 to own the Jungle or she'd shut it down that I was going to be wandering the Net looking for a new home for the rest of my NetDays!

On New Years Day, Abby did just that, she shut down the Jungle. Just a note on the front page, "Thanks for the Memories, Abby". That hurt. A lot. For a lot of reasons that I won't bother to go into because at this point it's simply pointless. What's done is done. Can't be undone.

Thankfully, Becky told me about Scrap That Moment. It's a lovely website for scrapbookers that incorporates a store, gallery, and best of all, message boards! The ladies there welcomed me with open arms. A foray into the gallery revealed inspiration of untold magnitudes! I have had more fun being "just a member" than I think I ever did as a design team member! I have smiled, laughed, and even cried a bit since I've been there.

Soon, Lynette, the owner of STM, and her design team will be traveling to CHA, to promote the ScrappyChick magazine! I'm telling you, this site is going places, and will be THE place to hang out! I may not have come in quite at "ground floor" level, but I'm sure glad I'm already here, before it explodes into something of 2Peas size! :)

Another new blog...

Well Gang, this is yet another new blog. I keep forgetting how to get into the old ones, a sign of age perhaps? Oh well, maybe I can keep up with this one enough that I can remember how to get into it! :D

Maybe I should introduce myself to those of you that don't know me? Hi there! I'm Charlee. I'm a wife, a mother, a grandmother. I'm a scrapbooker. I'm a genealogist/family historian. I love to do needlework. I love spending time with my husband of 7 and a half years, William. I support the President of our country, and the War in Iraq. (Don't dis me on that one, I won't change my mind, so it'd be a "no win" for you!)

Scrapbooking would be my favorite hobby. I love cool pictures. I love recording memories, in the hopes that my children will keep them safe and pass them down through the generations until sometime in the future, someone will open the books and say, "Oh look! G-g-g-g grandma liked this or that..."

Genealogy is a close second. I simply love it. I love to learn the names of my ancestors and if possible, find and scrap their photos and stories. I don't think that we can know where we're going if we don't know where we've been...and these people were who I am! Everything about me is a part of one of them. Most of what I think relates in some form or another to those who have gone before me. I consider it to be important stuff, and besides, it's like playing a game or putting together a puzzle! Highly entertaining, if you have a small degree of patience. :)

Did I mention that I love to gamble? Don't know why, I get HIGHLY upset when I lose, but there's just something that's so entertaining about those stupid penny slot machines (Vegas will never consider ME to be a high roller, cuz I think you gotta have money to gamble with for that!)...and not just when they're paying out! I think it's that I like the challenge of picking the right machine, and then I like the challenge of making the right choices in bonus rounds.

There's a lot more to me than you'll find in this one post. Hopefully, you'll come back and learn more!