Let's Celebrate

So I had thought long and hard about how I wanted to commerate the big day; the day I got my license. So yesterday afternoon, I went and did it. I got my new tattoo:) I got a butterfly on my hip. The butterfly symbolizes the big change and changes that are to come; my "metamorphasis" if you will. I really like the way it came out. It's small, not as big as the other one I have, but it's pretty and simple:)

So today I ran some errands solo. This was my first time since I became an official licensed driver other than the few times to the neighborhood pool. I ran to Walmart to return a couple of things and pick up some bottled water and a new filter for the turtle tank and a couple of things we needed for the house. Then I ran by Big Lots and Dollar Tree. Didn't really get much there. Then it was back home. Other than missing my turn and having to go a little further down and a different way, it was a successful trip:)

License to Drive

Today was the big day. Got up early this am and headed down to the DMV. There was alot of ppl there already and lots of ppl in line to take their driving test. I had to pull the car up and wait in "line" for quite a while. It was pretty nerve wracking.

As I sat there watching the others go ahead of me, only one girl got the parallel parking. No one else did it and one guy messed up real bad. I felt really bad for him.

So my turn came up. Thank God, I got this really nice deputy to drive with me. He was very warm and friendly and that made me feel so much more comfortable. The other deputy looked like a real meanie:(

So I nailed my parallel parking and the rest of the test went real well. I passed!!! So I am now officially a licensed driver!!! :)

I would just like to thank all of my friends and family who have been so encouraging and supportive throughout my "learning process". I couldn't have done it alone and I am forever grateful:) So "THANKS":)

Send me prayers and good wishes, PUUULLLEEEEASEEE

Tomorrow is the day. Tomorrow is the day I am taking my driving test. I am a little nervous...OK, I am alot nervous. So nervous it is upsetting my stomache. I am so afraid I am not going to pass. I'd like to say I am good under pressure, but I'm not sure that I am.

I drove around ALL day today; did all of our "errand driving"...groceries, some back to school clothes shopping at Walmart and Target and the movies (took the kids to see the Simpsons movie). I also went by the DMV and practiced my parallel parking again and nailed them all. I just KNOW I'm gonna mess it up tomorrow though. I REALLY hope I don't, but I take it that's the way it works...I probably won't mess up until it really matters:(...but I'm praying I won't:)

I spent the last few days over at Lal's. Drove over there on Thursday. We did our monthly crop on Saturday which was SO much fun. Pretty much everyone who was going to come showed up. Even Gina stopped by just to say "hello" and had her two beautiful little girls with her;)

I got quite a few LOs done. I still need to put a few finishing touches on them, so I am going to wait and post the updated pics instead. I do have a big of our little scrapping group though. My pic didn't come out very well, not sure what I had my camera set at. I always get the worst pics. I hope someone else's pics came out better so I can bum those instead:)

From the front of the line to the back: Karen, Sharon, Michelle, me, Lal, Shirley and Melissa. One of Sharon's friends also scrapped with us and my sis' niece, but they didn't get in the pic:(

OK...here's one of the LOs from Saturday night that I DID complete. I lifted this idea from the last issue of Memory Makers. The second I saw the LO, I knew I had to lift it. I love the Creative Imaginations scalloped edged papers. Other papers I used here were Daisy D's and MME. The hearts are HS chipboard and some Sizzix cut that I painted with my MM paint. The arrow rubon is Daisy D's.

This is another lift from that same issue of Memory Makers. I used all Elsie papers, some gems, an AC metal tile, a QuicKutz die cut purse and a chipboard heart I made myself:) Also a MAMBI bling crown and Doodlebug Simply Sweet cardstock alpha stickers.

This is a lift from Kelly Goree on sb.com...I can't recall her exact name on sb...Mamato3princes. I LOVE the Elsie fabric paper and the whimsical look of this LO. The title is from the Dr. Suess book as is the quote from the book at the bottom of the LO. Also used textured cardstock, some chipboard buttons I made myself:), Doodlebug Simply Sweet cardstock alpha stickers, some random buttons and a the plane is from those stitched rubons I found at the DT last week:)

TFS and PLEASE don't forget to keep me in your prayers for tomorrow's test. I'll update tomorrow. Hopefully it will be good news:)

Rain, Rain and More Rain

My goodness, this rain has not let up. I was just hearing on the radio that the rain is supposed to continue through the ENTIRE week!!! I do like the fact that the rain keeps away the heat, but I am growing a little tired of all this water:(

I weighed in this morning and I am 2.5 lbs away from my new goal weight!!! I am still working out everyday even though some days I really don't want to, but once I'm on my machine and hooked to my Ipod, I am so glad I did. It's like my personal destressing time. I can be alone with my music and take all my stress out on the machine:)

I've incorporated some other exercises into my routine. Besides the crunches and thigh master thingie I was doing before, I am also doing a little bit of weights and I added in some leg lifts yesterday. I really wish there wasn't all that junk in the garage so I could work out more with the weight bench and all.

Moving on...just wanted to share some pics of the Dollar Tree finds I picked up the other day.

These look just like the AC Foam Thickers. I wish they had the chipboard ones at DT:) These rubons look like the Paper Studio ones HL carries. And the metal "tiles"...AC again. TFL

What Happened to Monday??? Where is Monday???

So yesterday I drove around some more. I drove quite a bit of Bandera. That is something I hadn't really done yet that I wanted to do before I take my test. It really wasn't bad at all. Now all I gotta do is drive De Zavala. For some reason, these two streets have been a bit of an intimidation for me. I am pretty sure I have driven busier streets, but something about these two...???

Anyway, I went down Bandera to the HL off Huebner...bought a pack of paper with my coupon and picked up an application.

As much as I hate to say this cause it makes me feel like a total traitor, I drove down Bandera to Scrapbook Heaven. Picked up a sheet of Elsie fabric paper for crop night and an application. I would LOVE to work at 911, but it's a little out of my way. This location is just alot more convenient. Anyway...I am standing at the counter while the woman is ringing me up (she was a bit confused as to what the price of the paper was...I could have told her. I pretty much know how much everything sb related costs;)...So anyway, I'm standing there and I look down into this little ceramic pot thingie on the counter and there they were!!! Signo pens!!! I almost screamed...seriously. I even gasped out loud...LOL...the lady asked if I was OK...LOL...I was like, "OMG!!! I have been looking for this pen FOREVER!!! So I picked up two. There was only one left and she said that was it...no more in stock. I might pick it up today when I go drop off my application;) I am sure Lal wants one.

So after the sb store, I went across the parking lot to the Dollar Tree. Picked up a few things in there that I hadn't intended on buying. They had some really cool stitched rubons and foam alphas like the AC Thickers. Oh, and these metal tile thigies...also AC. Picked up an application there too. The girl who rang me up said she had JUST started working there and not to get discouraged if they didn't call right away. She said they'd probably call me by the time school starts up again:)

So after that, I drove to the DMV to practice my parallel again. I really need to be nailing every single one. It has to be just perfect...I wish I wasn't such a perfectionist. I just really want to do well. I am taking my test this week and I am freakin' out a bit. I need someone to talk me back down:)

Looks like rain again today. I have to admit, I kind of like the rain better than the horrible heat we had this past Sunday...Whew, it was HOT!!! The only time I dislike the rain is when I have to drive...LOL

It's Friday!!!...Who cares???!!!

So an update on my driving progress...In the last couple of days I have driven:

all the way to Scrapbook 911...from Babcock to Huebner to Bitters to Blanco:)
to Fiesta Texas to pick up my stepson
to my inlaws to pick up the kids; over by the Jefferson area

I have been driving alot more and alot more often. I am getting more comfortable with the whole thing. I am anticipating getting my license next week.

On my trip to 911, I picked up the new Basic Grey Infuse. I LOVE that paper!!! I have a tendency to "collect" the BG and not use it. I have yet to open my Phoebe or Perhaps. I did however open my Scarlet Letter for a "special" project I am working on:) Only certain things are good enough for BG;)

Not much else going on around here. Still trying to find a job:( Hopefully I'll be able to find one by the time the kids go back to school or not long after.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Happy Birthday to Matthew. We celebrated Matthew's 13th birthday on Sunday. His actual birthday was on Saturday. I am now officially the mother of a teenager.

We took him to go see the new Harry Potter movie at the Palladium and then to lunch at Red Robin's. We met my inlaws there and did the whole "cake and presents" thing. He was pretty happy with it all.

Here's a couple of pics:)

They surprised Matthew at Red Robin's with a free birthday sundae and the whole restaurant joined in singing him "Happy Birthday".





Here's a pic from the movie theatre. Last time we were there, they had this display up, but you couldn't get close enough. I guess from this pic you can see why. Someone obviously broke off the arm of Homer Simpson:( But the kids were really excited to sit on the "couch" to take the pic.Found some really cool new goodies at Hobby Lobby. Take a look:

Hobby Lobby has got a whole line of new Elsie stuff in!!! :) Paper packs, cardstock sticker, rubons, stamps, ribbons and albums. Right now all paper, stickers and rubons are half off. I got mine at the Bandera/Huebner one; in Leon Valley. They had an entire end cap with all the Elsie stuff. The one over on Rogers Rd. didn't have as much, but I am pretty sure all the stores are getting them in. I got the tip from a post someone posted on Two Peas. I really only go on there to browse the gallery, but for some reason I wandered into the message board and luckily found the thread with pics;)

I drove and dropped the kids over at the pool down the street this morning. Getting in some more driving practice. Hopefully I will be going to take my test next week. I have not been able to get a hold of my bf about the replacement part for the light on the van. My aunt said she's take me and I could use her car to take my test. I just gotta drive her car around a bit since I am used to driving our big van:)

The Sweet and The Sour

Well, the driving had been going really well. I have been nailing all my tries at parallel parking. Everything was looking really good. So yesterday Steve gets home early and wants to take the kids to the pool. So I drove them there. I hung around for a bit and took some pics and then I came back home and he said to go back for them in a while. So I drove home alone, hung out and then started to head back. So backing out of the driveway, I assume I underestimated my space and right before I turned out, I caught the end of the work truck with the front of our van:( No hard, not bad, but I did manage to break the light on the front of our van.



Luckily, my friend works for NAPA and has connections so he is in the process of helping me get that replaced. I need to have that fixed by Monday so I can go take my driving test.



I will admit that one little incident has also put in a dent in my confidence, but I know I need to keep pushing forward and be thankful it wasn't something bigger. I just need to get right back in there. So I will try again today and go practice my parallel parking some more:)



Upside...I have been religiously keeping to my workout routine. I have however; also been allowing myself a little too much freedom in the diet department, so I had not lost any more weight. Starting the day before yesterday and I got back on track and I have lost one more lb. putting me at my first goal weight!!!



I am hoping the last five lbs won't take too long to take off. I am thinking if I stay on track it should go smoothly since I had plateaued for a bit, I should be able to take off 3lbs fairly easy right off. The last two might take some work.



I got a little scrapping done yesterday...a LO for a challenge for our Yahoo group. It was a five product challenge.

We were to use only five products. Mine were:patterned paper; Basic Grey Romani, Scrapworks rubons, Doodlebug cardstock alpha stickers, American Craft felt flowers and various brand buttons. TFL

Big News

So I finally made my first "big drive". I drove all the way to Lal's house on the Fourth!!! That is the furthest I have driven so far. I was sooo psyched!!! I have about a week to go and take my driving test. So maybe the next time I blog, I will officially be a licensed driver:)

I spent the evening over there with her. Miguel did fireworks with the kids and I took some pics. It rained a little, but not too bad. Eric and Cari went over for a little bit.

We spent the night and the next as well. Elijah was home for a visit so Victoria had someone to play with and they had alot of fun. We took them out to jump on the trampoline and they had a blast:)

Didn't get any scrapping done cause I didn't have time to pack anything, but we are cropping in a couple of weeks anyway.

Mattie's bday is coming up on the 14th so we are taking him out to eat and to the movies. I still have a little bit of shopping to do; just a couple of things.

I'll post some pics a little later. I gotta catch up on some laundry and housework and I desperately need to workout cause I missed two days while I was over at Lal's:(

I'm Still Here

The last few days have been pretty rough. I have had the worst allergy headache...or migraine. Not sure which, but it was REALLY bad yesterday:( Today was not as bad, but not quite over it yet. I am hoping tomorrow will be a better day.

I have a couple of LOs to post. The first one I did while I was over at Lal's last week and the other is a quick lift I did just a little while ago:)

We have been getting ALOT of rain around here. I guess in a way it's a good thing cause we are usually melting by this point in the summer. Anything beats the sweltering heat unless of course you are at the beach:)...which I am not:(

In case I don't blog tomorrow...Happy Fourth of July to everyone!!! Have a fun and safe one:)