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a little obsessed ...

I'm so proud that I was able to create yet another page from the October LOAD (layout a day) challenge last night.  This layout didn't take me long at all to create.  I used one of the Inspired Blueprints sketches.  I do need to start taking pictures of my layouts in better lighting - the colors are just not popping.

The prompt for this layout was to "scraplift" something (or everything) from a layout I found inspiring.  I scraplifted the title and the concept of the layout.

 

Yes, a little obsessed with scrapbook supplies, wouldn't you say!  And this is not even 1/4 of my stuff.

I'm so excited that the weather here in NJ does not call for rain in the next seven days.  It's going to be a bit chilly some days, but at least the rain will stay clear from us.

I hope everyone enjoys the weekend ... no matter what you are doing!

pottery barn faves ...

I have signed up for a new online class called ...

Blogging for Scrapbookers

   
  

The class started on November 2, so as usual, I'm behind.  Since my time is limited at the moment, I am only going to create a blog post do go with the daily prompts, but then hope to go back and create layouts that would go with each of the daily prompts.  I just LOVE prompts ... it's a great way to get started.

Yesterday's prompt was to put a favorite "things" list together.  I'm going to take you on a little journey through some of my favorite baby rooms (girlie rooms) featured in the Pottery Barn Kids catalog.

ABC Toile

 

French Rose

 

Daisy Garden 

  

Pink Abbot

  

McKenna

  

Thanks for taking a walk through what I think are some of the cutest baby girl rooms.  Don't think my budget can afford decorating a room to look like any of them, but it is nice to dream.

Enjoy the rest of your day! 
 

finally another layout ...

Thanks to the wonderful opportunity to experience kidney stones for most of October, I was unable to complete all layouts but two before October 31 for the LOAD (layout a day) challenge I was participating in.  So now, I plan to work on the daily prompts as time allows me and at times when I'm feeling most up to being creative.

This that said, here is a layout from Prompt #3 that I created yesterday.  The prompt was to create a layout featuring what either you or your child wants to be when they grow up.  I chose to do a layout about Nicholas.

 

Yep, he still wants to be a clock maker when he grows up ... 

Enjoy the rest of your day!

GO YANKEES!!
 

perfect book for Nicholas ...

Even though it rained for most of the day on Saturday, it stopped raining just in time for trick-or-treating.  We usually do not venture out to many houses because Nicholas is not one for doing a lot of walking (and this year, neither am I), but we did visit some special people that we visit every year.

We made our stops at Grandma and Pop-Pop's and Nanny and Poppy's, plus a few of their neighbors.  We also walked to a few houses in one of the town developments.  The one stop that Nicholas looks forward to every year is the stop (and visit) at Aunt Susan and Uncle Billy's house.  They are usually our last stop since we end up staying there for awhile.

Aunt Susan put together a beautiful basket for Nicholas filled with wonderful things.  What he is most enjoying is this book ...

 

The book comes with over 200 pictures to complete, like this one.

 

So, Nicholas would have to draw in what he would like his burger to look like, and in the other picture, he would make smoke signals.  What an incredible way for him to use his very creative imagination.  Thanks so much Aunt Susan - we love you.  I am especially enjoying the Twizzlers!

Also while we were there, Nicholas played the piano for us.  Now he wants a piano ... well I say, first you need to take lessons and see if you actually like playing the piano. 

Hope everyone else enjoyed Halloween weekend ... did you go to any parties, dress up?  I would love to hear all about it.

Enjoy the day everyone!  

halloween party and parade ...

Today was Nicholas's Halloween party and parade at school.  Since I'm a homeroom mom, I was able to be there for the entire day to help with the festivities we planned for the kids. 

The kids looked so cute in their costumes.  Nicholas dressed up as a firefighter this year (thank you Christine) ... the easier the costume, the better (at least for him).  I'm just glad that he didn't fight me to put his costume on for the 1/2 hour they paraded in and around the school.

Here are some pictures from the morning festivities.

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow's the big trick-or-treating day ... we're hoping that the rain holds off.

Have a wonderful Halloween weekend everyone -- be safe!
   

best $10 I've ever spent ...

The other day I decided to try out internet food shopping.  I wasn't sure about it at first because I wanted to order produce and meats to my list, but would the shopper pick out what I wanted, would the fruit be fresh, would they check for expiration dates?

Well to my very pleasant surprise everything worked out way beyond my expectations.  All I needed to do was:

1. Create my list online (which gave me the total cost without my coupons)
2. Determine a time to pick up my order at the store
3. Arrive at the store and park in one of their designated parking spots

When I got there:

1. An employee came out to my car
2. Took my last name and announced it on their walkie/talkie to the people working inside
3. I gave them my coupons to be deducted from the grand total
4. They told me my total (which included the $10 fee) and I wrote them a check
5. The employee went back inside and came back out to my car with a wagon full of groceries
6. She opened my back door and proceeded to load my car with the bags

I didn't have to get out of my car AT ALL, and they even gave me a bouquet of flowers for being a new customer.  When I got home, I assured all of the items I ordered were there, and checked the expiration dates on the bread, milk, etc.  My order was 100% there and it was all right.

I'm definitely going with this route again for my next trip to the grocery store!  It was definitely worth the $10 for someone to shop for me and load my car with groceries (especially since I'm pregnant).

And for my scrapbooking friends, thought I'd share with you Studio Calico's November Kit of of the Month.

 OMG - I love those fabric AC Thickers, those stitched brads, but especially those mini houses.  How fun will they be to use on your scrapbook pages!

And, as for tonight, I've got some baking to do.  I volunteered to make Halloween cupcakes for Nicholas's school party tomorrow.  I'm going to make pumpkin-faced cupcakes.  Wish me luck, because when it comes to decorating cakes/cupcakes, it's definitely not my forte (I think it's going to be fun though).

Enjoy your evening everyone!

our yearly hayride ...

Yesterday, I was determined, no matter how horrible I felt that we were going on our family hayride to find our pumpkins to carve this year.  There has been lots of rain on the weekends here, so yesterday was the only opportunity we had left to go.

The past few years we have gone on our hayride, the weather has been beautiful.  Yesterday was no different.  We all wore long-sleeved shirts, but we didn't have to bundle up.

We were disappointed in the pumpkin selection ... the weather this year wasn't the best for harvesting pumpkins, but we did find two good ones (one for Rob and one for Nicholas and I).

Here are some pictures from our afternoon out.

 

 

  
 
Now we just have to pick out a pattern of what we want our pumpkins to be carved into ... those pictures will follow in a few days.

Enjoy the rest of your day everyone!  
 

for today ...

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes for a quick recovery.  I'm feeling a little better today, but I'm taking it hour by hour.

Anyway, I stumbled upon a website where the blog author, Heather, records musings of her life each Monday.  I'm going to give it a shot ...

Outside my window ... it is overcast with rain in the forecast.

I am thankful ... for my family's support, especially this week while I've been unbearable to live with.

I am praying ... that today goes by and the pain stays away for most of the day (if not all day).

I am thinking ... of birthday present ideas for a party we are going to tomorrow.

I am celebrating ... life.

From the kitchen ... I smell coffee brewing ... I make it, but I don't drink it.

I am wearing ... khaki cords and a khaki shirt.

I am reading ... A Map of the World.

I am hoping ... the rain holds off until later this evening.

I am hearing ... TV background noise and Rob on the telephone.

Around the house ... major cleaning to do; things to be put away; dishes to be washed.

One of my favorite things... waiting for 11:30am to come around - get to pick up Nicholas from the bus stop.

A few plans for the weekend ... purchase birthday gift; birthday party on Saturday; cleaning house; family time on Sunday.

I wish EVERYONE a wonderful weekend!

worst week ever ...

This, by far, has been the worst week of my life EVER.  I am still dealing with the dreaded kidney stones.  Yesterday was a good day.  I actually didn't have to take any pain meds from yesterday morning until 5am this morning when I woke up in agony again.  I feel like I'm going to float away with all the fluids that I've been drinking.  I really would do anything to make the pain go away.

For Thursday 13 this week, I'm going to list 13 reasons I hate kidney stones ...

 

1. I've been missing out on too many hugs from Nicholas.
2. My house needs to be cleaned.
3. Laundry is piling up.
4. I'm missing out on the beautiful weather outside.
5. I've experienced the worst pain I've ever been in.
6. I've been missing out on seeing the Yankees play in the ALCS.
7. I hate my attitude ... EVERYTHING bothers me.
8. I haven't smiled in almost seven days.
9. I'm trapped in my house because I'm afraid to go anywhere.
10. I am way far behind now on my LOAD (layout a day) challenge.
11. I haven't been able to get down on the floor to play with Nicholas.
12. I haven't been my cheerful self.
13. When the phone rings for me, I don't even want to talk.

So there you have it ... I've been having a wonderful week as you see.

For more Thursday 13 lists, you can visit their website here.

Now for a more cheerful way to end today's post ... I'll leave you with a picture of the pumpkins that Rob and Nicholas got out of our garden last night. 

  

This is a garden that we don't really have ... these pumpkins developed from the old pumpkins that we threw outside last year - gotta love it!

Gotta go for now --- enjoy your day everyone!
 

oh my kidney stones ...

The pain started on Friday morning ... I dropped Nicholas off at the bus stop, came home to work on my PC and then started feeling pain in my lower back like I've never felt before (not even when I was in labor with Nicholas).  I was home by myself and called Rob to tell him I needed him to come home.

I called my doctor and she told me to come into the office.  The pain was not stopping and I was starting to really get worried.  She thought it may be kidney stones, or a possible pulled muscle.  She checked me out and then sent me home and told me to take some Tylenol, drink lots of water, and get rest. 

I didn't feel better after some rest and got NO sleep that night.  Rob kept on asking if he should take me to emergency, but I kept on refusing.  On Saturday morning, it was a whole different story.  I called my doctor again and she told me to come to the hospital and go to the maternity ward.  So off we went - got admitted to the hospital - they ran some tests, did an ultrasound on my kidneys, and found kidney stones.  They gave me amazing drugs to make the pain go away ... they were good for the pain; however, I was completely out of it.

I ended up staying overnight so they could administer more pain medication when needed and hope to find out that the stones passed.  By Sunday morning, I was feeling better.  I hadn't had pain in quite a few hours so they thought the stones passed and they discharged me.

I was fine for most of Sunday and Monday, but then the pain came back again.  I called my doctor yesterday and she prescribed me some pain medication.  I had to take a few pills yesterday to help me deal with the pain, but I don't think I'm in the clear yet.

So, my message to ALL of you, is to make sure you stay hydrated and drink LOTS of water.  Water is definitely going to become my best friend after this experience.  This is pain that I hope to never feel again.  I think I'll be able to deal with labor pains again after this experience.

And in case you are wondering ... the baby is doing fine.  She is kicking and punching non-stop.  Here is the latest (huge) tummy shot.

 

Enjoy the day everyone!