i kid you not...

the neighbors finally mowed their lawn- THIS MONDAY!!!

it was a jungle out there. Right now, if I could have one wish, it would be for a fence. Just on that side of the house. It was funny though because the kids were trying to slip-n-slide in it and seems completely oblivious to the fact that the grass was like 2+ feet high!

So since no one could have possibly guess that they would wait ONE MONTH to mow their lawn (hopefully this isn't just how it is) I will send each of you a nice envelope of some goodies. Please send me your address and I will be packing up your treats and getting them to the post office.
jessnole @ gmail.com

Living here is like a whole different world. The neighborhood is really wonderful and we are so happy. It's amazing what movingonly one block away can do to change your life. The other day we got to see an entire family wearing leather chaps and helmets adorned with mohawks and purple ponytails and we also have friendly neighbors who gave my daughter more baby clothes for her dolls than even a real baby needs, which were left over from their yard sale.
I almost forgot to mention that at said garage sale I found (for free!!!) a nice stack of vintage McCall's magazine, crochet and knit mags, and loads of handmade Christmas ideas from the 60's and 70's. I am so excited to see what I can create and amp up to share this coming holiday season. Finding these has made me want to start creating Christmas gifts already!

in other news, i am comletely excited about the announcement I received in my email this morning from SIStv!!!

One last thing to cheer you up! We are planning a fantastic online event for all of those people who wanted to attend Scrap In Style LIVE but couldn't. We are going to come as close as possible to replicating our live event on the website, and you WILL NOT want to miss it, TRUST. ME. Just ask anyone who attended this year's event. (Dates and more details will be coming in next week's newsletter.)

I have one word for this... AWESOME!!!

This summer is flying right by. This is the last week of tennis camp. we still haven't gone to the beach. gasp! Been thinking about where to go back to school shopping. (I haven't even bought a pencil yet) and preparing for the hubby to go on a work trip to Trinidad. We just moved and just got ourselves settled for the most part. Still have to have a yard sale. Charging the batteries to take some pics so that i can finally upload some of my projects. And seriously been thinking about my diet. Need i say- way too much lemonade mix and hot dog consumption around here! Working on a quilt, made my very first baby doll outfit and even did some embroidery. Realizing that life is good even when things aren't going perfectly (when does that happen anyways?) and looking for work outside of home. Opportunites to do some home decor jobs are knocking and really feeling the turn of 30 (years) and all of these life lessons I have learned and will continue to learn are looking much clearer than ever.

have a beautiful day!

where does this fit in with my life?

so moving... and all that it entails

after 7 years of living in the same location
we have accumulated an insane amount of
(shall we call them) sentimental items.

these items range from things i someday intend
to include in a scrapping project, to items my husband
has forgotten what they go to but might one day
remember and need. such items would be tucked away
into places such as the breadbox or in a bowl that belongs to no set,
sometimes even in places like my underwear drawer
or even placed on a windowsill...
all with good intentions of finding these items a home.

so here i am in our new place with items with no home.
it is driving me absolutely crazy. there are numerous drill bits
and screwdrivers in just about every room of this place.
these items do not fit into my life in an kind of way
except that i know that they need a home and they are in my way.
but they do not belong to me so i cannot just throw them out.

it's unbelievable how much a single person an accumulate.
it's also amazing when i think of how much we have already eliminated
and still i feel like we brought too much with us.

how overwhelming it is when i think of the fact
that i still have to figure out where the out of season clothes

and decorations that i want to hold on to will go.

so far everything has been sent off to the basement.

little by little the pile is growing.
someday this summer i will have a yard sale.
i just have to breath and stay sane until the time comes.

who's up for a guessing game!!!

with moving and summer taking so much of my time

i have not had any time to update or have fun

with my blog in such a long time!

so here is a little number i just came up with while sitting out on the deck,

enjoying the beautiful view.
(looking south, not west) teehee!

When will my new neighbors mow their lawn?

whoever guesses correctly will receive scrappy happymail!!

winner will be announced as soon as they mow their lawn, of course :)

a hint, just for fun...
this could happen any day now.
i have been here for 2 weeks and it's pretty tall already.

another little hint- someone put up a volleyball net this afternoon, so i
am almost sensing good intentions. teehee!

i will take a pic as soon as a find some batteries!

it's been a long time, hasn't it?

i've been up to lots and lots

last day of scouts is tomorrow

this past weekend we worked on our

cub mobile and had the race.
lots o' fun!

this weekend we are off to nyc (queens & brooklyn).
kev's great grandmother passed so we are going
down for a day or two.

monet has been busy with tap, jazz & ballet.
this year she's in the big ballet
and is graduating from elementary school!
(dress shopping here we come)

so proud of her and
so excited for her!!

hubs has been traveling. now he's in nebraska!
never been there before. and believe it or not,
omaha isn't ll that bad.
it helps that he is staying at a koko key resort
with an indoor water park!!!

jealous? yeah, me too :D

only a couple weeks left of school. thanks goodness.
i am homeworked OUT!

i've read the uglies saga-
uglies, pretties, specials, and extras

and i'm almost finishd with the host,
by stephanie meyer
i tried again and again to get into this book. it was
difficult after twilight.
but if you aren't sure about it, i can tell you that it's a great story
once you get past about 150 pages.
it takes a while to get to the good stuff.
once you get there, it's a great read!

my neighbor/friend is preggo and just got married.
AND buying a house. like all in the past 5 months!
such an exciting time for her.

we've been taking some pics in between our busy schedules
of her growing belly. she is having a girl!!!
and i've been trying to teach myself to crochet booties.
i got one done- and it is CUTE.
now getting the other one to look the same,
that's a whole different story! teehee!

thought i'd share some pics i ps'd...



tried out some layering and added the brick background.
originally the background was the white siding of a house.



and this one i used a ttv layer.



and here i used a water texture. she loves dolphins, so
i though tit would be cool to
add an element of water to a photo.
i'm not so sure i love the non-realistic feel of this, but
it was definitely fun to try something different.



this one i used a canvas exture and added the KA Phraseology font
by kayla aimee terrel from her blog
would leave a link but i'm outtie- to pick up the kids from school.

there are many more- more with faces too!
i never really thought i'd get into ps'ing!


enjoy the beautiful sunshine!!!


later gaters.

when i was a little girl i always knew that i wanted to be
a mommy.
what i never knew was just how rewarding
being a mother is.
my own mother was not always there for me,
which has taught me a good lesson
on what kind of mommy
i need to be.


yesterday evening i sat down at the table with
my two beautiful children
and we each made a list

mine:

1. every day i ask myself,
"what can i do to make you better people?"
(you always come first)
2. every hug & kiss is filled with so much love.
even the little squeezes and pecks n the cheek.
(of course, smooches & bear hugs are too!)
3. i always see the best in each of you. yes, even
when we are having a tough day.
(you both have those eyes that get me
every time)
4. showing you how to do things and watching
you learn with such curiosity is
one of my most favorite things to do with you.
(this makes each and every day
an adventure that i look forward to)
5. when i wish you "sweet dreams",
i really do wish you the sweetest dreams of all.
(my sweet smelling babies in jammies
truly makes me melt)



monet:
i love mommy because
1. she loves me
2. she's cute
3. she is nice
4. and pretty
5. loving
6. caring
7. joyful
8. wondrous
9. awesome
10. rockin'



jaden:
i love mommy because
1. she helps me with my chores
2. she loves me
3. she helps me on the computer
4. she helps me learn to skateboard
5. she loves when i bring her flowers
6. she give me the best presents
7. she helps me roller-skate
8. she is so pretty, prettier than a rainbow
9. she is a great homework helper
10. she shared her diet cherry vanilla dr. pepper with me



cinnamon buns, flowers, hanging plant, painted toenails,
rings, handmade gifts, dinner, time, snuggles,
help with housework, and cards

this make me feel so blessed to have such loving and
thoughtful children who love me so much




lastly,

on friday we spent some time snapping new photos of my
sweet girl! she just colors my world!



ps: tomorrow is my big 30!
i can't believe it!


xoxo
jessica

it's been long enough since my last update, huh?




this layout was created using a scarlet lime kit
i did some machine sewing and loved
using those rub on stickers.
they have such a pretty glossy feel to them!





this layout was created using a studio calico kit.
on this one i used the stamps to create borders. i also
did some machine sewing on this layout!

in other news:

tennis lessons
cross country for kids
milk jug bird feeders hung
seeds to be planted
the uglies trilogy
(searching for the extras in paperback)
beginning a new book (the host)
new starbucks coffee mugs
bare hardwood flooring
new (old) dining chairs
crochet soiree (dot com)
diet cherry vanilla dr pepper
new haircuts for the whole family

six days til my 30th!!!
i am thinking of highlighting my hair.
and i have made a little mental list

like new pink sneakers (for running)
a pretty vintage necklace
a mixer
a hanging basket for my deck
and a pedi would be the cherry on top!

we shall see!

thirty is supposed to be my year.
i have all these great ambitions
and goals that i have set for myself
to have achieved by the time i turned thirty.
most of them i have been working on &
some i have been not-so-good about
but being honest about this is the first part for me.

i want to live healthier
i want to have a job that i love
i want to save money
own our own home
finish my dental work

i wish the dental work wasn't so difficult for me.
it's mostly fear
i have had route canal after route canal
and truthfully i am so tired of dealing with this.
i just want to be finished
i just want my beautiful smile back.


on my 11th birthday i was in a bicycle accident
i cracked three of my front teeth
and had to have them all crowned.
so i have been dealing with this for the past 14 years.
pretty unbelievable! i have to say though,
most of those years have been problem free
and until the past year or so
i have not had problems that have effected me
as much, physically, or emotionally.

since the accident i have had
6 route canals, four being on one tooth.
we have finally got the issue under control.
but now i face one more step closer to what i have
been waiting for.
i have to have one of the front teeth extracted
so that a bridge can be made.
overall, this is the best option because cosmetically, i will benefit.
all three teeth will be molded to match each other.
and it is the most economic, as the insurance will cover
a large amount.
but just the thought of having a front tooth extracted
places a lot of fear in me.
the waiting for the molds to be done and
the actual bridge to be made is frightening.
i will have to have a temporary tooth to fill in the gap.
i have had nightmares about this. what if it falls out?
what if it looks really out of place?
what if the insurance company gives us
a hard time and i am stuck with this
temporary tooth for weeks or months?

ugh!!


i know that it has to be done
and i have finally found a wonderful dentist
who i trust and
who i know understands how i feel about all of this
even though it's been a long haul,
i know that she is going to do what is in the best interest
of me and not just her pocket.

i can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel.
i know that i can't let this be an issue for me any longer.
i know that this will give me great self-confidence.
and i know that this will change many areas of my life
for the better.

if you actually got through this-
please know that i had to get this down.
for the sake of documenting my goals and my fears
i am getting there. i am working on them

xoxo
jessica

remember my post from a few weeks back about how

you can incorporate other hobbies (crocheting) into your scrapbook pages?

on this LO i have found another way to use
crocheting!!!

this lo was inspired by my children
and st patty's day, which is when this photo was taken.
i created the crocheted border to match the patterned papers
and machine sewed it to the top of my page.



the crocheted flower i also made and attached to the page with a brad.
for the title i placed the letter stickers to a piece of card stock
and trimmed around the edges.
tiny gems and felt flowers and a felt heart create
the "rainbow" of lucky charms.

Do you see the pot of gold and leprechaun at the end of the rainbow?

that sticker was brought home from school for my by my little guy on
st. patty's day! isn't it so cute!

thanks so much for looking!

xoxo,
jessica

easter sunday 2009

kev and i woke up before the kids.
i may have been a tad more excited than the kids
actually, they were both in monet bedroom
watching cartoons.
they claimed they hadn't even peeked
at what the easter bunny had brought!

i fixed coffee and pulled myself together
woke up kev and then called the kids into the dining room.

what happened next?

the family gathered together at the table.
the kids opened up their goodies.
ate candy, bit into hollow chocolate bunnies
spilled jelly bellies onto the floor.
shooed the dog away because he couldn't keep his gigantic
nose away from the smell of chocolate and peeps,
played easter themed games, blew bubbles, played tennis
ate more jelly bellies, chocolate, and peeps

and then we headed to church promptly at 10 am
no egg hunt though. do you think they were deprived of the
traditional hunt?
i just really didn't feel up to it.
we have really outdone ourselves with this holiday and truthfully,
i was just plain worn out. i did not feel like hiding eggs.

maybe next year?
maybe not. there are many to be snacked upon and
if you look on the bright side, there will be no stray
hard boiled eggs to be discovered
a week down the road. you know, the one that
no one could remember where it was hidden and the one
that no one could find?
ewww!