Saturday, December 29, 2007

I'm BAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaak!



So I guess I've been MIA for a while... but I can explain, I promise! I started my job as a bookkeeper for Hamad Realty, here on the Beautiful coast of NC and though I only work part time, I have now lost the 8 hours a day that I had at home while I'm out working for 6 1/2 hours and driving my children to and from school, doing homework, and oh yeah, all the other stuff I used to do as a SAHM. My home has suffered tremendously... but now that the holidays are coming to an end, I feel like I'm starting to get back on top of it. The laundry isn't piling up anymore, the dishes are usually done before I climb into bed, and my family has really helped me in picking up my slack as far as keeping the house "picked up." On top of going back to work, I also took on my very first college course. I graduated high school over 8 years ago, and it took me that long to enroll in and complete a class at the local community college. And if that wasn't enough, sickness has swept through our house like never before... we've been fighting colds, the flu, and worst of all, bronchitis! This has (by far) been the worst year for our family healthwise! At least one member of my family has been sick EVERY week since Halloween... I'm so ready for the spring... allergies are so much better (and easier to deal with) than viruses and bacteria!I've not blogged since before Halloween and man, oh man, have I caught a hard time (to say the least). Ha Ha Ha! I have faithful blog-stalkers who have been going through withdrawls from my daily projects, antics and stories. I miss you all so much...
And, despite popular belief, I have been busy stamping and crafting.
For Christmas this year, our family made all our gifts with our own hands and imaginations. We painted a lot of unfinished wood products (mainly birdhouses), made scarves & pillows, stamped sets of cards, carved walking sticks & wood-burned designs on them, and I even painted canvas wall-hangings. I was so proud of my family. We wanted our children to learn about the "true" meaning of Christmas. We wanted to teach them to appreciate the hard work and dedication that goes into giving a gift from the heart and we also wanted to teach them to appreciate (and respect) the gifts that were given to them so maybe they would still be around next Christmas. I think we were semi-successful, but how do you get your children to take care of the things they have? How do you teach them the value of hard work? I think the lessons were learned for a brief period of time... but that they have been pushed to the back burner in their minds somehow. Christmas wasn't even one whole week ago, and they've already broken a few things, been caught mistreating them, and not taking care of their new things. It's hard to spend so much time making something that really isn't going to be appreciated, ya know. And I know - they are just children, but they have to learn sometime, right? Anyway, I didn't start this blog so I could rant and rave about how my children are just as hard-headed as me, I started this blog to share my life with those I love and to provide a little inspiration for those looking for new ideas for stamping, scrapbooking, papercrafting, and all other things "crafty." Here's a picture of my beautiful little darlings...

Ethan (middle) is 8, Clayton (left) is 6 and Kailynn (right) is 3 1/2... This picture was taken on Thanksgiving when we visited our family, the O'Briens, in Maryland. We have a very special bond with the O'Briens, and if you visit my blog, you're bound to hear about them, because they are a big part of our lives.







So anyway, I thought I'd start the New Year off right and introduce you to my family. Pictured here (from top to bottom) are my Dad (Gary), and Mom (Debbie), on the next step down, are my Sister-In-Law (Ashley) & my crazy Brother (Mike), then down one more step are my Husband (Brandon) and I, and on the bottom step are my Brother-In-Law (Brad) and my Sister (Krystal).




Tune in again tomorrow... I'll be back to share more pics and projects... and I've made a New Years Resolution. Are you ready for this? My New Year's Resolution is to TRY. I promise to TRY... no matter what I am faced with, I will TRY to get through it... and do my best. I will TRY to look at the positive in everything. I will TRY to do more than "get through it," I will TRY... to post nearly everyday. Stay Tuned... and since you're here, leave me a comment, I want to know who my readers are... Don't worry, April Clark... I know you're here, but leave me a comment anyway. :) LOL






























3 comments:

Unknown said...

Im your first comment ever…and yes I know your life is hectic….i don’t know how you do what you do…raise 3 kids at 27…put up with Brandon…start and keep up with a youth group at your brand new church…find the time to spend with your family and do whatever makes everyone else happy…always have the answer to any problem anyone has (from when you take your first breath to when you take your last) and if you don’t have the answer you do have the willingness to look it up and find it in the Bible cause you can find any answer to fix/solve/alter/change any problem you ever have one wonderful woman once told me that…and yet throughout all this and being the peer mediator of your family you seem to keep your chin held high with a great attitude towards everything….and with this no matter what is going on you can always cheer up my mom and that’s what matters most that you can keep my mom happy and be her BFF #1…you keep your sense of humor strong and know when to use it to cheer people up and when not to use it and to be serious…you have the perfect timing…I don’t think I’ve told you this lately(or ever) but besides God and my mom you are THE top role model in my life…I wish one day I can follow in your footsteps and be the great Christian, mom, wife, family member, youth leader, and last but not least of course a (trustworthy) friend that you are. You have always been there for me since I’ve known you and I know you always will be no matter what you love me maybe not always like or be so proud of if I make a mistake but you will LOVE me…no matter what mistakes I make or how much I disappoint you I know you’re always going to be there….

<3 Love <3,
Tay.Tay
(taylor hall)
{for Kailynn’s preference: Tayla}

Debbie Yates said...

Great job - I am so proud of you! Happy New Year!

Anonymous said...

Yeahhhhhhhhhhh!!! You ARE back. You are excused this time since you have been soooooo busy. I am looking so forward to being able to "stalk" you again. :-)

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