I heart My Memories Suite!

 

Have I ever mentioned that I LOVE My Memories Suite????  I attempted paper scrapbooking when the girls were small, and that went over like a lead balloon.  I'm not very crafty, so it's pretty safe to say that the pages were ugly.  UGLY.  And it cost a fortune to buy all of that stuff.  And then I couldn't stand the mess.  So I gave up.  Completely.  Each of my girls had maybe 2 pages in their entire scrapbook.

But then last year I discovered digital scrapbooking.  I figured I wasn't "techy" enough to master PhotoShop.  Plus, the program was expensive so I searched for more.....   I stumbled on the My Memories site and have been a scrapping queen since.  It's easy, inexpensive, and I think my scrapbook pages are awesome (if I do say so myself).  ;-)  You can purchase templates so you don't even have to think about making a cool page (just drop your pictures in and write a little caption), or you can create your own layout.  I started out with templates only and then later started designing my own layouts.  You can buy kits from My Memories, or you can find gobs of free digital scrapbooking papers online (the My Memories store also has freebies).  The bonus is that you can use the papers over and over again, unlike conventional scrapping.  When I'm finished with a scrapbook page, I have it printed at My Memory Boutique.  Their prices are reasonable, and I end up with a fantastic 12" x 12" picture (or you can have any other size made) that I can just drop into my conventional scrapbook.

Can you tell that I LOVE this program???  I'm a teacher, so I have also used the program to make posters for school.  For the upcoming school year, I'm planning on making some cute "getting to know you" posters with the program by taking a picture of each of my students and creating an adorable poster with facts about them to hang in my classroom.

Anyway, the program is only $39.95.  But I have a code that will give my readers a $10 discount at checkout!  Thanks My Memories for giving my blogging friends a discount!!!!!!!

Did I mention that I LOVE this program?  ;-)

Here is the code:  STMMMS82920

Happy scrapping!

Gone to the dogs...

Why yes girls, dog spit IS good for you.

Can you tell my girls have been raised with dogs?  We own Belgian Malinois dogs that I have shown in conformation events, and all three of them adore the girls.  Sleepovers might be a future problem, though, because I'm not so sure they'll share their girls.  At all.  ;-)

Sophie & Rowan (CH Alouette's Celtic Legend)

Gracie, Sophie, & Glory (CH Alouette's Bound For Glory)

Gucci (Gucci Sweet Vulcan)

Sophie & Emma

Gracie & Chloe

The two small dogs aren't even ours.....

BTW, I finished Couch to 5K Week 3 Day 2 today.  It sucked.  ;-)

It's HOT!

It's stinkin' hot here!  Temperatures have been 100+ºF here for what seems like a lifetime, and it doesn't look like there is any end in sight.  Ick!!!!!!!!!

Embarassing Moment #56,236

So yesterday after gymnastics, Sophie and I drove through Starbucks so I could get myself a yummy Vanilla Cappuccino---- none of that fancy, weird stuff for me, thankyouverymuch.  ;-)

The window of the car was down and I was just pulling up to the drive-thru window when Sophie (as usual-- Grace never does this stuff) VERY LOUDLY in her most exasperated voice says, "MaaaOmmmm, I don't know why you always buy this stuff because you KNOW it gives you diarrhea!"  Needless to say, the little 20-something girl handing me my cappuccino was giggling.  How does one respond to that?  I just shook my head.

Now I'm not admitting that it does or doesn't give me (uh hum), you know, but REALLY?

Why me?

Couch to 5K

Well, I'm hanging in there.  I just completed Week 2, but I honestly think I need to repeat it.  I don't know that I can handle the extra running involved in Week 3.  Running is definitely NOT a habit yet, and it probably doesn't help that it's over 100 degrees Fahrenheit outside so I'm stuck on a treadmill inside looking at the walls.  They say it takes 3 weeks for something to become a habit, so I'm hoping/praying that by the end of next week I'll actually be motivated to exercise by more than just guilt.

 

But you know what I have noticed?  My calorie intake.  That's not to say that I have made a lot of changes to my eating habits yet, but at least I noticed that the Zinger I ate on the way to the gym was 400 calories, and I only burned about 150 calories when I walked/jogged my 1.5 miles.  That stinks.

But I'm determined to not only lose weight, but more importantly to keep my arteries clear.  For those of you that don't know, I had a heart attack about 10 years ago, had a stent placed in my heart at the time,  and have since had two additional angioplasties.  Just relying on my cardiologist to clear out my veins when needed is a ridiculous option, and I can't believe I have let myself go that route for so long.  

Anyway, here's to getting healthy and staying healthy!

New blog design...

Ta da!!!!!


I have an awesome new blog design!!!  Although I loved my old design, I was just getting tired of it--- as usual.  So rather than staying with the traditional "scrapbookish" design, I went with a more whimsical layout.  What do you think?

I also changed my blog's title.  My blog originated as a place to share adoption news.  It later just became a family site, and now I tend to not only blog about the girls but also my activities as well.

So here it is---- in all it's glory.  And I think the new title is quite fitting for my quirky family.  ;-)

Football players need your help!!!

Since September 11, 2001, Americans have come together as never before in our generation. We have banded together to overcome adversity. We have weathered direct attacks on our own soil, wars overseas, corporate/government scandal, layoffs, unemployment, stock price plunges, droughts, fires, mad cow, SARS, high gasoline prices, and a myriad of economic and physical disasters both great and small. But now, we must come together once again to overcome our greatest challenge yet.



Hundreds of Professional Football players in our very own nation are going to be locked out, living at well below the seven-figure salary level. And as if that weren't bad enough they could be deprived of their life giving pay for several months, possibly longer, as a result of the upcoming lockout situation. But you can help!

For only $27,080 a month, about $902.75 a day (that's less than the cost of a large screen projection TV) you can help an NFL player remain economically viable during his time of need. This contribution by no means solves the problem as it barely covers the annual minimum salary, but it's a start, and every little bit will help!



Although $900 may not seem like a lot of money to you, to a football player it could mean the difference between spending the lockout golfing in Florida or on a Mediterranean cruise. For you, nine hundred dollars is nothing more than a month's rent, a mortgage payment, or a month of medical insurance, but to a football player, $900 will partially replace his daily salary.

Your commitment of less than $900 a day will enable a player to buy that home entertainment center, trade in the year-old Lexus for a new Ferrari, or enjoy a weekend in Rio.



HOW WILL I KNOW I'M HELPING?



Each month, you will receive a complete financial report on the player you sponsor. Detailed information about his stocks, bonds, 401(k), real estate, and other investment holdings will be mailed to your home. Plus, upon signing up for this program, you will receive an unsigned photo of the player lounging during the lockout on a beach somewhere in the Caribbean (for a signed photo, please include an additional $150). Put the photo on your refrigerator to remind you of other peoples' suffering.



HOW WILL HE KNOW I'M HELPING?



Your NFL player will be told that he has a SPECIAL FRIEND who just wants to help in a time of need. Although the player won't know your name, he will be able to make collect calls to your home via a special operator in case additional funds are needed for unforeseen expenses.



Remember, a lifestyle is a horrible thing to waste...

YES, I WANT TO HELP! 

I would like to sponsor a locked out NFL player. 

My preference is (circle one):

 Offense  Defense  Special Teams  Entire team



Please charge the account listed below $902.75 per day for the duration of the lockout. 

Please send me a picture of the player and my very own Roger Goodell (NFL Commissioner) pin to wear proudly on my hat (include $80 for hat).



Your Name: 

Telephone Number: 

Account Number:

Exp.Date: 

(circle one) MasterCard  Visa  American Express

Alternate card (when the primary card exceeds its credit limit):


Account Number: 

Exp.Date:

(circle one) MasterCard  Visa  American Express

p.s. If you have a little extra, please enclose for the cheerleaders. Contrary to public opinion, cheerleaders are people too.

tee hee hee----  I received this as an e-mail today and thought it was too funny not to share.  ;-)

 

My newest favorite thing....

comes from The Pretty Peacock.

It's this very cool latitude/longitude bracelet!!!!

The great folks at The Pretty Peacock were able to put the latitude/longitude of both Sophie & Gracie's  birthplaces on the bracelet.  I can't wait to receive it---- 4-6 weeks is going to be a loooonnnngggg time.  ;-)

On another totally unrelated note, I finished Couch to 5K Week 2 Day 1 today.  Yay me!  I still feel like I could die, though.  But I'm doing it--- and sort of attempting to eat healthier.