I was tagged by Carol...so here ya go:

 

A Attached or Single: married nearly 8 years to my high school sweetheart
B Best Friend: Ben
C Cake or Pie: Apple Pie!
D Day of Choice: Friday
E Essential Item: jeans
F Flavor of Icecream: mint chocolate chips
G Gummy Bears or Worms: worms
H Hometown: Carbondale, IL
I Indulgence: tanning bed
J January or July: July
K Kids: Ayla
L Last movie I saw at a theater: PS I Love You
M Musician: I listen to a lot of Raffi lately...don't know that it's my favorite though.
N Number of Siblings: 2 brothers, 2 sisters
O Oranges or Apples: apples
P Phobias or Fears: my teeth crumbling and falling out
Q Quote:Life is 10% of what you make it and 90% of how you take it.
R Reason to Smile: My job lets me take naps.
S Season: Spring.
T Tag: Betsy, Tiffany, Alison, Patricia
U Unknown fact: I've seen every episode of Beverly Hills 90210...but you probably knew that.
V vegetarian or oppressor of Animals: I really like hamburgers. What can I say?
W Worst habit: picking
X Xray or Ultrasound: Huh? I suppose I'd prefer an ultrasound.
Y Your favorite food: does guacamole count?
Z Zodiac sign: Aries

 

I confess. I read a bazillion blogs. Maybe not quite that many...but I'm not divulging the actual number of blogs in my feed-reader of choice (which happens to be NewsFox by Mozilla). But I will share links to a few of my favorites in no particular order of preference:

 

Local (Birmingham):

• Greg Newton - Minister at Disciples Fellowship
• Birmingham Events
• Scrap Etc. - scrapbook store located in Patton Creek
• AL Frugal Mom
• Hoover Library Kid Zone Events

Scrapbook Industry/Photography

• Cathy Zielske - editor for Simple Scrapbooks
• Heidi Swapp - product line designer, teacher, speaker, etc.
• Donna Downey - artist, scrapbooker, painter
• Ali Edwards - works with Creating Keepsakes, has written several books, very talented
• Elsie Flannigan - artist, product line designer, very quirky and pulls it off well
• Jennifer McQuire Ink - card maker, stamper
• Tara Whitney - photographer, scrapbooker
• Photojojo - photo craft ideas

Just for Fun

• What I Wore Today - so much style, I only wish I could look so fun myself. I guess I'd need to go shopping more.
  
• Photo Battle Blog - I'm not sure if there's a point to this site or if anyone "wins", but it's hard not to vote!

But, my very favorite blogs are by people I know; local friends, friends from Minnesota, or even people I've just met once or twice in person, but have known online for years. I love them because they keep me connected and up-to-date with the lives of real people -- not that these other people aren't real, but you get what I mean. It's sort of like having coffee with each person every morning, which in fact is a treasured part of my morning routine...coffee and blogs.

 

Thanks for all the great reading Alison, Betsy, Tiffany, Virginia, Molly, Monique, Elizabeth, Jessica, Kristy, Nancy, etc. etc. etc. (remember, I'm not divulging the actual number of blogs I read....)

 

I'd love to see what some of your favorites are! Post links in the comments!

 

 

Ever wonder what it looks like to have 600 scrapbookers in one room? Very pink. And slightly intimidating. But, by the end of the weekend, I think maybe I spoke to every single one of them!

 

Scrap Etc. 2008 was exhausting, fun, exciting, inspiring, and then even more exhausting. I was a group leader of one of the 4 groups of ladies who attended in the event. So, let me shout out to all my Group A girls...they were patient, friendly, silly, cooperative, and all so talented. But I could not have led them at all without Molly, Carol and Tracy, who kept me on track and were absolutely indespensible.

 

We enjoyed classes by Heidi Swapp, Gretchen McElveen, Jenni Bowlin, Monique McLean, Vanessa Hudson, Wilna Furstenberg, and Angelia Wiggington. I came home with a small truckload of scrapbook products and kits to make all kinds of fantastic projects that these ladies shared with us.

 

I ended up not having to present my 7 Gypsies class on Saturday night, because we ran out of time, but I did stand in front of that massive group of people and show them the finished project. But by that time, I'd been to every table answering questions, handing out kit products, and it felt like I was talking to an old group of friends. It was no sweat at all... So maybe I'm ready to become a convention teacher---hmm...maybe not quite yet.

 

I won't bore you with every detail of the weekend, because, let's face it, if you weren't there, it can't be recreated. But, I will leave you with a list of 30 things I learned while at Scrap Etc. 2008.

1. How to make a paper accordion flower (thank you Jenni).
2. That a class will go on, even if everyone's rub-ons are faulty.
3. No matter what it is, food tastes fantastic when you are starving.
4. I can function on only 4 hours of sleep...but it's a little foggy!
5. The next time I take a creative class, I want to be the "rebel" and make the project my own...those turned out the coolest!
6. I like being in charge of people and organizing activities.
7. Tennis shoes are much smarter when you'll be standing and walking for 17 hours a day.
8. Microphones aren't as scary as I thought they were.
9. Trying to give 600 people instructions at one time in one large room is VERY difficult...note to next year's planners---give handout instructions for the layoust on SNL night and let everyone work at their own pace. Then they can socialize as much as they want.
10. 1 hour and 15 minutes for lunch and dinner is too short when you have also get ready for the next class.
11. I want to learn sign language--for real. We had two deaf ladies and two interpreters in Group A and I loved watching them "talk".
12. Amanda Hudson is a great singer.
13. I still love Gretchen McElveen's crisp scrapbooking style. So "me"...okay not me, but what I want my style to be. :)
14. Wilna is adorable. Her accent and teaching style kept us laughing and on our toes.
15. Jenni Bowlin and her family really impressed me. Love her down-to-earth attitude, she's so talented, and was just a joy to be around.
16. Vanessa Hudson is remarkably talented, so creative, and still manages to be over-the-top organized--and she always looks great.
17. I'm proud to have played a part in introducing Monique to scrapbooking (through Scrapjazz) which eventually led to her store, then the events.
18. Heidi Swapp did not dissapoint and brought us plenty of pink, bling and fun.
19. Angelia was one of the sweetest women I've met...and I'm so glad I finally got to meet her after enjoying her layouts in magazines since I first started scrapbooking years and years ago.
20. Bonds are always created during stressful situations...I loved getting to know the other Scrap Etc. girls...and it was my main reason for helping out with the Event--to spend time with all of them. I really enjoyed our Thursday night pow-wow at the Irish pub. :)
21. The little bird on the t-shirts, bags & aprons were so cute...even if they weren't as "round" as they should have been...it's okay Jennifer...no one noticed that the t-shirt folks stretched your image!
22. Sometimes, you just have to make a decision and go with it. It's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission.
23. Scrapbooking vendors are so generous with their products and time.
24. I shared a room with a former "Kelly Taylor"! (only you 90210 fans will be excited about that).
25. A $6 McDonald's lunch seems like pennies after a weekend of eating at the Opryland Hotel. A muffin for $4? Really? That must be some muffin. I'll stick to my granola bars.
26. Scrapbooking is fun...it still is.
27. The amount of money people are willing to spend on products for their craft is unbelievable.
28. I love my Scrapjazz girls! It was great to see Ashley, Trish, and Amanda!
29. I'm tired of butterflies.
30. Phoebe (from Friends) is right. There is no selfless act. No matter how many times I went out of my way to help someone, no matter how exhausted I was, it felt so good when I was able to make something "right" for a person. I hope I was able to make everyone's experience as great as it could be.

I'm sure I could go on and come up with 100 things, but I'll stop there. If you went to the Event and have pictures to share, please send me a link! I didn't have my camera out nearly enough!

I just got back home from a MOPS meeting and it was all about organization and the home office and it got me all warm and fuzzy-feeling inside.  I just get so excited about having things organized and "in their place."  It was good stuff.  Everyone had some great organization ideas, so I thought I'd share a few of them here:
 

=================
Problem:
papers, mail, bills, receipts, etc.  The "STACKS"

Suggested Solutions:

• The 2-minute rule (If it can be taken care of in less than two minutes, do it immediately)
• Have appropriate disposal bins handy where you read your mail (trash, recycle, shred)
• Use a by-date separator to know when to pay certain bills
• Have an "inbox" and go through it daily (or weekly)

=================

Problem:

Scheduling, calendars

 

Solution Suggestions:

•  Family Calendar with room for each family member's activities for the week.
• White board calendar in the kitchen
• Sync up your PDAs, Outlook Calendars, etc.
• Keep a perpetual birthday, anniversary calendar

=================

Problem:

To-do lists that are way too long

 

Solution Suggestions:

• Keep a long-term (this month/year) and short-term (today/this week) to-do list
• Categorize your to-dos.  A work-related to-do, a home related to-do, a kid-related to-do, etc.
• Make a next-action list (Ben got this from the book Getting Things Done.  It has a fantastic system that we use occasionally...not religiously)

=================

Problem:

Toys everywhere!

 

Solution Suggestions:

• Each kid gets a bin and they're allowed to put as many of whatever toys they want to have in the bin, but the lid MUST close.  All other toys are stored in bins in the basement/garage/etc.  Every month or so you give them the option to go "shopping" for a new round of toys.   (Alison gets total credit for this idea--which btw my MOPS group thought this was genious!)
• Buckets with photo labels of the contents. 
• Toy "check out" and "return" policy from shelves.  Can only have 3 items checked out at once before they need to be put away. (I don't actually know anyone who does this, but it might be an interesting experiment to see if kids are willing to go along with it...)

=================

Problem:

Kids' schoolwork and artwork 

 

Solution Suggestions:

• Boxes, folders or bins divided by school year.  Label with child's name, year, teacher's name.
• Portfolio divided by year
• Hang recent creations from clips on a curtain rod to create your own kid's art gallery
• Go back 2-3 years later when you aren't so emotionally attached to *every* art piece and quiz and purge, keeping the best and most special.

=================

 

Funny story:  Tom (Ben's dad) asked me once to make him a top 10 list of how to stay organized.  Immediately I looked for some paper and a pen and came up with a list of 6 things and handed it to him.  He always jokes that #1) he was shocked that I did it instantly, and #2) that I only needed 6 "rules".  Proof of my tendency towards efficiency I guess.  I'll try to remember them here, but he may need to correct me if he still has the original list:

 

1.  A place for everything and everything in its place.
2. If it can be done quickly, do it immediately.
3. Clean out your closets/desk/etc. every 6 months.  If you haven't used it in a year, get rid of it, you probably don't need it.
4. Put things away every night before you go to bed. 

Darn...i can only come up with 4 now....does that mean I'm getting more efficient and organized?  Or just tired and sloppy now that I've got a kid?

 

I'll leave you with a photo of my favorite room of our house...my office. 

 

I made it home, which means I must have had a successful shopping trip....(this makes sense if you read my "Today I am..." ticker. Today's says: Today I am not coming home until I have purchased a new pair of tennis shoes. My current pair is 6 years old...I bought them in Searcy, AR! (3/4))

The most crucial purchase of the day, from Dicks Sporting Goods (on sale for $39.99):

 

And, while I was in shoe-shopping mode, I picked these up at DSW (also on sale for $24.26):

But before we went shoe shopping, Ayla and I walked the aisles of the Kids Market & Mom consignment sale. I was not in the mood to shop for kid clothes...they were way too overpriced for consignment, so we took a look at the toys and picked up these gems for only $2 each:

Then, I spotted this for only $25 (usually $80 new), which I've been eyeing for a long time at various consignment sales. It's a little big for her now, but Ayla just HAS to have her own scrapbooking and craft desk. And it fits just perfectly right by mine! Now we need to find a chair and stuff to fill it up with. Some little artist has sharpie-d the dry erase board, so I'm going to try and clean it, paint it (maybe with chalkboard paint), or replace it.

Nothing feels better than snagging good deals on things you "need".