This is more of my scrapbook room.  I have my new color drawers...thanks Stacy Julian!  Also, here is the green drawer so you can see how cool it looks with all your color coordinated embelishments together.  The book shelf holds my stamps, paper and idea books.  I will need more space for more stamp sets soon so I am working on an idea for that.  I'm also working on a new way to store my ribbon.  Right now they are all in a pretty decorative box but it's a mess in there!  I love how the room is always under construction...ready for my next organizational idea!  Wait til you see how my sissy (KIKI) organized her clear stamps...it's way too cool!  Maybe next time! (Hint:  I stole her idea...it's even cute and decorative!)  I told her she should take photos and send the idea to Creating Keepsakes magazine...they'd publish it for sure! 

By the way, the girl is doing very well with her new holes in her head...she loves looking at herself in the mirror!  Cutie!

The Girl Got Her Ears Pierced!!

She was SO brave!  Here she is getting them dotted...the finished product and then talking to my parents in FL while eating Dippin Dots!  She can't stop smiling...my baby has her ears pierced!

My Scrapbooking Space

This is my crafty space.  It was a long time coming but I love how it's tucked in the closet.  I have been reading Stacy Julian's book "The Big Picture" and it's SOOOO good!  It's all about scrappin' your memories, not every holiday and event.  Scrappin' thoughts and personalities.  She also recommended organizing your embelishments according to color. It took me one whole afternoon but I did it (this photo was taken prior to the color organizing thing) and I love the results.  You choose your paper and pull the drawers you need and everything is there!  I'll be sure to get a shot of that soon!  Have a great day and if your in Illinois enjoy the great weather!  (Yes Meg and Mom & Dad, we finally have Florida worthy weather too!)

My belt testing boy!

Here is the boy just after he finished his high brown belt test.  High red and deputy belts are all that are left until he works on his black belt...Yeah boy!  Tomorrow...photos of my craft space!

I FINALLY GOT PHOTOS ON HERE! (thanks Dawn!)

Here is the girl at the AG store over spring break!  We went with Tiffany and Lizzy and had a great time!!! (It's debatable who had more fun!)

Good Evening All!

To those of you who think I am a slacker blogger all ready, I am here to tell you I haven't had a minute until tonight to blog.  I took the kids through the drive thru at Culver's after soccer/Tae Kwon Do tonight to get ice cream.  Believe it or not I didn't get any.  Instead I went to Starbucks and got a light Frappachino (coffee) and decided tonight was the night to download my new photos off my memory card and put a few on my blog...but guess what???  My camera with my card is in Chris' car in Oakbrook tonight (he's visiting Kingsbury who is in town this week.) Bummer!  He also had Emily's soccer shin guards and shoes in his car in Oswego when it was time to get ready for soccer...needless to say tomorrow he will be instructed to clean out his car!!!  But I wanted to share an awesome recipe for "Banana Brownies" I got off of Stacy Julian's blog.  So here it is...

BANANA BROWNIES

3/4  c. butter (soft)

2/3 c. sugar

2/3 c. brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 ripe bananas (mashed)

2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

About 1 c. chocolate chips (maybe less, not more)

*** I put all items in the Kitchen Aid and mix it up.  Spread batter into a 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

These brownies are like banana bread with chocoate...and my kiddos loved them!

Well all, I am off to scrapbook (my kids are now sleeping and my darling hubby is out!) And tomorrow's plan is to get busy with my photos.  Maybe??!!

So here it is!!!  My very first blog post.  Recently I find reading people's blog's facinating!!!  And I think I know why...the English major in me loves a good autobiography and blogs are like autobiographies but better...they don't necessarily end.  I love traveling to Stacy Julian's blog, Ali Edwards' blog or Becky Higgins and finding all kinds of cute and interesting tidbits.  They show new shoes, cute pottery or their latest scrapbooking tool they love.  They also share new recipes (ok, that may be going a bit overboard for me) and good books they've read.  WHAT A FUN IDEA!  So, I thought that maybe between my love of shopping and finding that fun new item, scrapbooking and crafting or just plain being silly, I may have something to share as well.  I'm not quite sure who will read this but between my cousin Sara, my parents and my niece Megan, I should keep a few people entertained.  So welcome and I will be posting a photo soon, as soon as I  figure out how to do that (and find a decent photo of me.)