OH MY GOSH!

Well, clearly... I have not been to my blog in quite some time.  We have been IN THE SNOW pretty much since November 2010.  However, the weather is warming up and I have scrappy fever.  I went to a CROP for a CURE this past Saturday and played with some of my Studio Calico kits and of course...socialized with a few ladies.  I had a friend from work attend with me. 

Well, I do promise to get some NEW stuff posted this weekend and play catch up.  I am busy at work and thought I would pop on here before my lunch hour is over.  Okay, back to your blog hopping! 

CHEERS!!

WORK IN PROGRESS....

On my lunch hour and thought I would check in to my blog.  WHEW! 

So, please excuse the mess!

Only a few hours left...

I am going to join my family and make a new memory.  

The last memory of 2010.  Maybe tomorrow I will find time to share.

   Happy New Year everyone.  I wish you great love in 2011!

Yes, there is a SANTA!

Christmas! Oh what a CHRISTMAS!  Christmas cookies are baking right now as we are still, "Christmas-ing."  Christmas Evening we went to church and when we came out...2" of the white stuff on the ground and it took us 45 minutes to go 5 miles.  Brianna was convinced that Santa would be going faster from house to house because of the snow and landing would be easier, so we headed home to continue our traditions of the evening and woke up to a delightful CHRISTMAS DAY!

I have loads to share...but I have cookies in the oven.  Tomorrow is back to work!  But for now...

Merry Christmas from Bowling Green, Kentucky!

Thankful Time...Yes, indeed!

What a great Thanksgiving weekend we are all having.  Our home is decorated for Christmas.  Our bellies continuously full time and time again.  Today is a day of creating in my studio and the chores will simply have to wait.  We celebrated Thanksgiving with only a few of us but that did not stop the phone calls and texts from family and friends from all across the Southeast.  It began to snow here Thanksgiving night and we woke up to a 1/2" dusting of the white stuff and super cold temperatures.  Gloriously beautiful Friday!  We even went shopping for a few things and Santa's stocking is getting pretty full already.  I cannot wait until the week before Christmas.  All of our children will be here and two will be bringing "ladies" to our traditions and table this year.  It will be wonderful.  I just know it.

Have a WONDERFUL weekend!

It is that Magical Time of the year, again.

My heart is full of joy.  This year, my present for Christmas is ALL of our family together at Christmas time since 2004!  This will be the first Christmas that Zachary has been with us since 2006.  Tours of Duty overseas and stationed all around the United States...he is trekking home for the holidays.  He arrives on the 20th and Stephen and Lil' Z will be here on Christmas Eve to stay the whole weekend of Christmas.  How exciting is this to me?  I am over the moon with JOY!

With this said, YES, I have already decorated the house as my time is limited on the weekends with many Seasonal happenings and shopping.  The hustle and bustle has already begun.  We have had a busy November.  We had to head South to Atlanta for a "Celebration of Life."  I lost a special sister-in-law to cancer early in the  month.  It has been hard on several members of our family.  But I know that time will heal the hurt and good memories will remain.

Celebrations of babies being born has been a great highlight.  Impending births as well keep me shopping for those special gifts to give as new mommy's and daddy's begin the path of ultimate joy and unconditional love.

So, yes.  This is a time of magic.  A time to celebrate and be thankful for all of those wonderful people in our lives.  I gather great solace and joy in knowing life is wonderful and every moment is a time to embrace and live fully.

I am still creating.  I just to do not upload most of my creations anymore.  They are becoming very personal and are gifts as well for many people in my life.  But I promise to share stories and my day to day scrapping as my time allows.  So, it is with this thought..."Take time to make the memories."  It is truly the greatest gift to give and share with others.  Your time.

What was I thinking?

For a few weeks now I have been thinking about giving up scrapbooking and simply concentrating on my mixed media art. What the FLIPPITY DOO DAH was I thinking? Yesterday, I drove about 40 miles north of Bowling Green and as I was driving and listening to music oh too loud; I had this charge that I had not felt in some time. No, it was not the Auburn University fans with their SUV's all loaded down with tail gating goodies and their loud ORANGE and BLUE that was a caravan on their way to the Kentucky game. It was not the fall colors that were vivid on the trees. It was not even the beautiful sunshine. Was it because I was not alone? Was it because I was not hurried out of state to take care of family business? Was it because I had not a care in the world? I think not...what I was so giddy about was playing with paper! Yes, scrapbooking. I was on a roll and nothing was going to stop me from one thing that gives me great pleasure. Loaded down with my own goodies I was headed north to SHOP and create and it is a wonderful feeling. So, what the FLIPPITY was I thinking when I thought I could give up something that makes me so happy? Clearly, I was having a "not so clear" moment in my life. But baby, I am sniffing glue again! Not literally, but you paper artists know what I mean.

So, without further ado I will share a few things I created in about 5 hours. In that time I shopped and had lunch with some wonderful ladies along with stimulating conversations as well. I love Halloween. It is the one time each year that is pure fun. For a few hours on one night we are NOT in the backyard summoning nature but we are having a grand time dressing as something we are not. It makes me feel like a kid again and well...it is all about the candy, right?

I have a lot more to update everyone on the happenings.  Just stay tuned.

  I promise not to be so long in between posts.

Stay tuned...

Having problems with BLOGGER not uploading my pics.  So....please be patient.  I AM BACK!

Give a Girl a CAMERA!

Looking back through our summer photos I simply  smile when I look at all of the pictures my daughter took on her first Girl Scout Summer Camp experience.  It was the first time going away where she did not know anyone.  It was the first time I let her take a little camera with her to just take photos of her experience.  They are not in focus, they are not of great quality, but through her eyes I was able to relive the week with her and she simply glowed as we looked at each one in detail and she recounted the moment with excitement and most of all, she had an experience that allowed her to make wonderful friends.  I thought I would share a few.  AHHH, youth and summer.  Life is so wonderful.

Photos by MY GIRL!

She was telling me that the counselors went by names like, Lunchbox, Cookie, Nugget, Kiwi, and Pickle.

Many of her counselors were from "across the pond."  Girl Scouts exchange American Counselors with other Girl Scout Leaders from all over the world.  It broadens their own experience and they can share their cultures with girls from all over the world.  Brianna was telling me the flags in their dining hall represent where Camp Pennyroyal had representation from all over the world throughout the years.

Bri said they made SMORE'S in a can.  Layers of the SMORE goodies in a 3 pound can and they were, "YUMMY!"  Of course it is not camp without nightly campfires.  I think she had about 50 of these shots!

I do love that she had a terrific time and most of all, she wants to go back.

Hard to believe...the cooler air is nipping in the morning and summer will soon be no more.

WOW, time is flying by so quickly!

Catching up on my blog reading this morning.  I am still getting used to our schedule change around home with work and school.  Carving out time for just myself is still one of the priorities.  However, it doesn't leave much time for blogging.  For kicks and grins, here are some scrappy pages I have created recently.

It looks like rain today.  A perfect day for playing in my Art Studio.

Still here...

Yes, I am still here.  I am busy getting settled into my new position as an Legal Assistant for a law firm.  I am working about 175 cases and absorbing the routine and tasks before me.  I like the people I work with and the atmosphere is really great.

So, I thought I would leave you this Friday with another layout I created for Art Freckles  August kit.

Sometimes a simple design is all you need to tell a story. 

This picture is old and was tattered and torn.  

I simply scanned and made a copy.

Have a terrific weekend. 

Good Food, Great Company, & Music.

Stuffed from dinner at Montana Grill, 

Robin and I headed to Fountain Square Friday night 

for the last concert in the park for the summer.  

People everywhere and sounds of laughter filled the hot humid evening.  

It was a delightful evening and I enjoyed catching up with her happenings. 

I seriously need a longer arm when taking self photos.  

All in all, a wonderful evening and I simply must do better about getting together with my friend.

 Thank you Robin for a wonderful Birthday Gift.

An Artful Life

Over at Art Freckles, this months kit is a delightful addition to scrappy supplies and creating.  I love the name of the kit as well as creating with it this month.  "An Artful Life" is full of cardstock and double sided papers to woo any scrapper to share a memory or two in their scrapbook.

Here is a sample of what I created with the August Kit, "An Artful Life" from Art Freckles!

This picture was taken the first day of school and I could not resist in using the papers and embellishments from this fabulous kit and alter a frame I have had for years.

Just a few things today...

Of course, my list does not include the usual duties and chores that go with being a stay at home mom. 

But this will be changing in one week.  

All duties will be shared.

I am getting excited about me new job.

I think it will be exciting working for a lawyer.

We are planning some family activities this weekend. 

But tonight, GIRL'S NIGHT OUT with my friend.  

Celebrating my belated birthday.

I hope to get some really great photos.

Have a terrific weekend.

It's Official...

Yesterday, I turned the grand age of 45!  What does this mean?

Anxiety about my age.  My mother passed away at 45.  Yes, I think about it.  I am healthier at this age than she was at 45.  Wow, I said it.  "I am 45!" It was not a BLOW OUT Birthday as we are in the beginning of a new school year and my birthday fell in the middle of the week.  A small celebration it was.  Well, actually I am not sure I celebrated.  My daughter did the celebratory acts for me.  Children are wonderful and see a birthday as "awesome!"  I remember that feeling.  I do believe that this is the "Only day of the year to claim as your very own."  So, in essence.  It is another milestone of life and should be regarded as special.  It was.  I think.
    

So, I will share bits and pieces of my thoughts throughout this year.  Changing my blog up a bit to share other things that are important and some things that are less important but at least I will have something to blog about.  So, today this is what is on my mind.  Important? Ummm, maybe.  Thoughtless?  Not so much.  But it is something I am pondering for sure.

This is a picture of my first cousins and me.

It was taken in October 1968 at Gold Rush Days in Dahlonega, Georgia.  We chose our goodies from the festival of which has changed a great deal over the decades.

We 3 are now the "head" of our family.  

Me, 45-  Lee, 44-  Deborah, 46

.
Who knew that at this age we would have no family older than us living?  I am the only one with children.  Lee is the last male of the Thornton Clan out of Alabama.  It is kind of sad, really.  Deborah and Lee still reside in Georgia.  Lee is now the artist and curator of Foxfire Taxidermy on the Thornton Estate.  My uncle's legacy lives on at Sweetwater Creek State Park outside of Atlanta.  Several of his prize winning Taxidermy Animals are on display.  Lee will carry on the tradition.  At least I think so.  Deborah is into horticulture and pottery and lives in the N.E. Georgia Mountains.  We were very close growing up and our family always shared Christmas and special holidays together.  We also got together many weekends and shared family vacations when my family was stateside (Army Brat ya know).  I just find it so hard to grasp sometimes that we are, "it."  We lost Uncle Chuck in April and I know that my cousins must be thinking many of the same things that I now ponder. 

I feel that I am blessed.  I have 5 children.  But the Thornton legacy will be short lived.  My grandmother was one of 10 children where many families were born from her siblings.  But we are the last of the Thornton's.  I think back to many incredible memories and a childhood with lots of experiences shared with my family.  I just never knew or realized as we aged that the possibility of no hierarchy being alive when in my 40's.  It just does not seem right somehow.

So, this is what is on my mind this morning.  Mortality or the lack thereof.