Anyone for a puppet show?

Last weekend, I've finally mustered up enough energy to pull down the Christmas tree. I know, I know. DON'T hate me. I'm a little mad at myself, too, but I couldn't help it this year! Brad, the kids and I celebrated New Year's Day at a cottage in Kenlake, thereby messing up my year-end routine of having the tree down before the new year.

Oh well. At least, I had all the ornaments and lights off of it, right after the first of the year. It didn't help that every time we came home, Peyton yelled, "CAN WE LIGHT THE TREE?"

Anyways, I was sitting at the computer, reading other bloggers who really WRITE in their blogs, when all of a sudden, I see this:

This is my daughter, hunkered down in a worthless attempt at concealing herself behind her booster seat, with a Christmas ornament she made in Mrs. Gretchen's class. The little vixen must've stolen it from the tree while I wasn't looking...

Oh well. It's all good fun in January. Those little tokens of decorations you forgot to put away sure come back to bite you in the tree-trunk! Now, where is that Brendan, you say? He's at Little Dribblers, of course!

Isn't he CUTE!? I get all goose-bumped at his little stroll around the basketball floor of my Alma Mater. Man, this gymnasium has shrunk.

And, NO, I haven't gotten bigger.

Well, maybe a few pounds. . . here and there. . .

Anyone for some FREE scrapbooking online classes!?

My friend Tracie from TN just posted about some free Big Picture Scrapbooking classes, and I thought I'd share them as well (since I've just signed up for them, and I know 85% of the people looking at this LOVE scrapbooking):

One is called "Get a LOAD of this!" and you are challenged to create a layout a day.
Click here to sign-up.

The other is called "Kid Perspective" and it's all about adding your kid's voice into your pages! Too cool!
Sign up for that one here.

The last one is called ScrapHappy and it's by Stacy Julian (that's her sittin' there all cute, above).
She basically just gives you a pep talk, I think, about scrapping.
Boy do I need one right about now! Sign up for it.... here.

Happy JANUARY!!

The phrase "HAPPY JANUARY!" came very boldly out of the lips of Miss Peyton as she headed up the steps to Nana's house yesterday. Nana hadn't seen her for most of the break, so it was a well needed yummy visit with Nana, and a welcome back into a routine in which I DESPERATELY needed.

Ali Edwards is telling all of us to find our "WORD of the Year" to help us determine our mission for the year. Last year, my word was OPPORTUNITY. I really felt like I stepped up to the plate last year, and ventured into "Graphic Design-Land." I took on several projects, gained some pretty impressive clientel, and made a good mark on my dream of one day being at home with the kiddies, working out of home.

This year, I've really struggled. I know that I want to become a better wife, a better mother, but most of all, I want to get ORGANIZED and clean up my house!! I really want a clean and functioning home, complete with clean laundry and dishes. All cabinets and rooms in order, but most of all to feel GOOD about entering and existing in my own home.

So, since PURGE isn't really a good word (that's what I really need to do to create ORDER in my home), I used this word instead:

MOTIVATE.

It covers all bases. Jeanette gave me this idea, because it is HER word. I just stole it to use for mine as well. Oh well, she's cool. I don't think she'll mind. (hee hee hee...)

If I can remain MOTIVATED in my thoughts to create peace and harmony in my home, it will happen. I just need to remain there, and see where it takes me.

That's all for now. Oh! Check this out: I want to use these colors to create a peaceful, and serene bedroom:


Ahhh. . . simplicity.