AND NOW THAT I KNOW I CAN. . .

Wow! Embed a video?? Yes, I can! Sooo. . . here's one I want to have on my little bloggie...

What a woman!! Anita Renfroe - I must meet her. Check her out - I will be singing this at the next women's conference...

Whew! SOMEBODY GET ME A MIC !!

I am so loving this amazing video I saw for the FIRST TIME on Tracie's weblog. I'm still bobbing my head! Hallelujah!!



I'm very much like Tracie - when I'm in my car, I tune a lot of things out, and start to sing. A lot of the songs I sing at church, I'm practicing in my car. It's the only place I have TIME to practice! So, like Tracie, if you see me bobbing my head, singing my head off. . . just know I'm praising God and having a good time doing it! HA!



Squealin' on the Square is being held here in my little hometown. It's a BBQ competition on the court square, and I'm about to head down in that direction and help out. I just love being around that much BBQ. Hey, it's a dirty job, but. . .

Brendan and Peyton are with Mrs. Karen today. She comes to my house and stays there with them to give my mom a day off. Which is so important lately, since we have 50-60 family members coming in for a reunion. You would think she'd be busy baking, or sweeping, or vacuuming, so what do you think she's doing with her precious and sacred free time? Shopping.

You GO, girl!

It's about time we spend some quality time doing something WE want to do!

Don't be hatin'!!

Ahh. . . . Camping

My mom and dad got a new camper (well, new to them!) and they go with us when we go camping. We've been a few times this year, and each time I totally enjoy getting away from the normal workday, and spend time with those I tend to take for granted when I work all the time.

We got this camper a few months ago, and we have totally enjoyed living in its space. It has a kitchen, a booth/kitchen table, bathroom and shower, beds for all of us to spread out in, and closets, closets, closets!

We stayed at a campground that had quite a few ammenities that made our stay very enjoyable. The one "perk" Brendan and Peyton loved the most was the pool. Brendan actually got brave enough to jump in the water with NO assistance from his arm floaties. I was so nervous, I forgot to take any pictures for a second!

Well, back to the real world. This weekend is Freedom Fest, a festival in our little town. I am volunteering at Squealin' on the Square, a BBQ competition sanctioned by the Kansas City BBQ Society. The only thing I can tell you about this FANTASTIC competition is it will ruin you FOR LIFE of all future outings having to do with BBQ. Man, these guys know how to cook BBQ! It's truly an experience.

I received this kit in the mail this week. YAY!! More scrapbooking!! Speaking of scrapbooking, I met the ANGEL that bought Remember When Scrapbooking, and will continue its legacy (meaning it's NOT shutting down!!). I'm so happy! What a DAY!!

Many happy days back at 'cha!!

Que Serra, Serra. . .

Whatever will be, will be.

I think it's starting to sink in that Remember When is really leaving. As per my last blog, I'm still shocked over the number of my FAVORITE stores that are closing in my small college town!

Now, mind you, I'm not a "shopper." Let me stop right there and let that sink in, for all you "shoppers" out there. You heard me. I am not your average woman. I have to be "in the mood" to shop. I just can't go to a store, and purchase a cute top, or a pair of pants, or shoes (heavens, I've NEVER gotten shoes on a whim). You see, here's the secret: I only own about four pair of shoes. One of them being sneakers, and another flip flops. See where I'm going here? I'm really NOT into it that much.

Exept ONE thing. . .

SCRAPBOOKING.

And, maybe, the occasional decorating store. A Target, perhaps. Oh, definitely a Michaels. I hear angels when I enter that superstore.

Anyways, the whole point of it is this - in the SAME MONTH, my two favorite stores are closing, Pier 1 and Remember When Scrapbooking. I'll bet hubby will be excited.

But, with change comes the possibility of new avenues in your life. And I've really been analyzing that thought, as you know. I am a woman of ROUTINE. I know all the staff at Taco John's, because I eat there every lunch, Mon-Fri. I even know when they hire a newbie. Sad, isn't it? But I LIKE WHAT I LIKE, and I rarely deviate from what makes me happy. So, when something changes to my routine, like spending an occasional lunch break talking with my buds at Remember When, I get "antsy."

But you know? It seems like I only evaluate my life and my life's choices during a moment of change. So, in retrospect, this is all good.

Whatever will be, will be.

Hopefully, I can find my path soon. I am feeling change all around me. It's scary. . . but OH SO EXCITING. There is more to my life than my current path. Oh, sooo much more. . . !!

Here is a picture of a REALLY GREAT SCRAPBOOK STORE that, if I had the money, I'd go visit. But a plane ticket to California is not in the budget right now. This is Scrapbook Oasis, a killer store in Cali.

WAAAHHHH!!!!!

Oh no. Say it isn't so. This MUST be one of the worst days of my life!!



I just got the news. Our local scrapbook store, Remember When Scrapbooking, is going out of business. OUT of business. Not "Liquidating inventory" or "Huge Sale", mind you, just "going out of business." Quietly and quickly. I feel soooo terrible!!

I talked with Pam, the sales associate, and she told me Debbie and Ruben, owners of Remember when, are going through some changes in their lives. They are in the process of adopting a daughter, and they're selling the store. I just feel sooo terrible! So many unanswered questions! Why so soon, for one!? Their closing their doors June 30. JUNE 30!? That's in 18 days!!

My heart is saddened by this latest scrapbook loss. I hope that someday, lots of moola falls into my lap, and I can open it back up, restore it to its original splendor, and live blissfully in scrapbook heaven.

At least, as my Mom put it, they'll be a sale soon. Guess I'll go home and decide if there's anything I "need."

{{ S i g h }}

WELCOME summer!!

I just love SUMMER! It gives me a break at work from stressful events, and lets me get caught up on so many other things. . . like year-end reports and paperwork that's been sitting on my desk for months!! Oh, and I do find inspiration at home A LOT. Makes me wonder what a stay-at-home Mom" career would feel like. It's so easy to go through life (and I have!!) working a Mon-Fri job. I've been at MSU now for 14 years. Can you believe that!? Does anyone ever stay at a job that long!? Heavens!! Anyways, when I'm at home, I can search blogs, and get inspiration from people like Heidi Swapp. She has this fantastic photo of a cute little polka-dotted tray, filled with summer fun. I'm so going to do this. My kids would LOVE this. I wish I could stay at home with them, and fill their summer with so much fun, they could hardly stand it!!



I also have this photo that makes me happy. It is a new font by KI Memories. The font that was used on these gift tags is a font you can put on your computer! Why couldn't I save $$ and do this myself!? HELLO!? This is on Aby Garvey's organizing blog. She makes me smile. And wish I had more time on my hands.

Oh, my summer is going very well. We ended up buying the Tahoe. YAY! It's like driving chocolate. I feel so empowered. I just LOVE when you find the right ride. And I got a "B" on my Business Law class. Woo-HOO!! There's nothing like knowing the one class you've waited most of your life to take becuase you were TOO SCARED to take it, goes by in your life with a B. . . oh, that hurdle is now passed. Now, onto graduating. . .! Then, who knows? I feel graphic design calling my name. . . Where are you, Amy!? Come, take a new path. I'm listening, very patiently. . . !

Okay. Time to get back to work. I just wanted to tell you some things that are coming up in my life - We have two, people, NOT JUST ONE family reunion (hello, diet? remember me? This is Amy calling again. . . ), and I'm working on some new ideas for my portfolio this summer for a possible graphic design career path in the future. Oh, also, Ms. Karen will be keeping my babies one day a week to give my Mom a break. So. . . All is going very well in the Maness House!


Oh, yes, and we got a pool. So, I have the WORST redneck sunburn known to man. Heather, my coworker, laughed at me when I showed her. I put sunblock ONLY on my shoulders. The rest of my upper body is red. Hilarious. Someday, I'll learn. . . !!


That's all! Have a great day!!