Free Digi Fun by Jessica Sprague!!

Deal A Day with Close To My Heart!

Well this is exciting!!

What are the campaign details?
Dates: June 1–30, 2009 (the last item posted on June 30 will remain online until July 1, 2009 at 8 a.m. (MT) or while supplies last.
Featured Products: It's a different product special each day!
For Customers : Take advantage of a different deal each day during June only on my website.
Each special will run for just one day—23 hours to be exact, from 9 a.m. (MT) to 8 a.m. (MT) the following day. There will be two different types of “deals” offered on my MyCTMH site through this exciting promotion:

1. Receive a free item with a qualifying purchase. On 24 of the 30 days in June, you can receive a specially-selected current product absolutely free (tax does apply on free items in the US) when you purchase a My Acrylix® stamp set, size A, B, C, D, or E (excluding Stamp of the Month, customized or K-size sets, and Art & Soul featured stamp sets).  The free product will change daily and there can be only one free item per order. You will also save big on shipping when orders meet all Deal-a-Day guidelines.
2. Receive 50% off or more on “Great Goodies” boxes. On 6 of the 30 days in June, you can purchase a “mystery” box filled with “Great Goodies.” Contents will vary by box and include both current and retired favorite stamp sets, paper packs, embellishments, and other great products. The six “Great Goodies” boxes will all have different pricing of at least 50% off retail, with some at even deeper discounts! Note that we have made every effort to differentiate the 6 “Great Goodies” options so you can purchase boxes on different dates and receive a wide variety of differing products! No qualifying purchase is required on the days a “Goodies” box is the deal; discounted shipping is also available when orders meet all Deal-a-Day guidelines.

Notes: Deals are posted each day at 9:00 am (MT), are good for 23 hours and while supplies last, and are only available on Tier II MyCTMH websites.

Forever Young....or did I really have to get out of bed today?

My birthday was the 6th. I celebrated by going to Cub Scouts like a good leader should. We made bird feeders out of milk jugs. Then, my co-leader surprised me with a cake and everyone sang to me.

Several hours earlier...

Robert brought me lunch along with a couple of his friends Dave Randall and Joe Shoen. That was really sweet of them! But... I was really busy and couldn't take time to eat. I went to leave and grabbed my stuff and spilled my drink all over me and the floor in the reception area at work... So, after I cleaned that all up.. I was able to go about the rest of my birthday.

Forever Young

I had my birthday the other day. Robert asked if I was 28. Nikki told me I was only half way to 68. Jessalee pointed out that 1/3 of my life was done...

They say you are only as old as you feel... I say I feel Forever Young!

I think Spring might be here!

well, maybe...

It has been almost 60 degrees 2 days in a row and the snow is melting!!!

Not much else going on except my three kids and their birthdays all within 2 weeks of each other... And our trip to Minnesota next week.

Spring Break, Finally Over

...it could have taken the snow with it!

Last week was Spring Break.  We had 2 blizzards with a 40 degree day thrown in for kicks.  Glad our only plans were not foiled.  We had an amazing week planned.   Robert and I were going to go to work.  The kids were going to hang out with friends and sitters. homes.  Thank you friends and sitters!!!!

I canceled Cub Scouts 'cause it was Spring Break and nothing was going to ruin my plans, dang it!!  LOL! 

I had grand plans to go grocery shopping on Saturday but laziness won the day and it didn't happen.  I did, however, go with Nikki to Buffalo to take her daughter, Chelsey, to meet up with her dad for the weekend.   So glad she got home before the storm rolled in again!

I really should have gone shopping!

I got 4 phone calls last night telling me that school was canceled today. 

I received a call from the Snow Emergency Service - a first in the 5 years we've lived here!- telling me to not park on the Emergency Snow Route.  I don't even live on a Snow Route. 

This is what appears on the city web site:

Attention
A snow emergency has been declared until 6 PM tonight. 
Emergency travel only. 
No parking on emergency snow routes. 
Total snowfall of 10 to 18 inches expected with wind gusts up to 50 mph.
The City Snow Routes Emergency is in effect.
If you have vehicles parked in these routes,
you must move them immediately.
A SNOW EMERGENCY has been declared.
NO PARKING on City Snow Routes is allowed.

And from Sheridan Media:

More storms are anticipated throughout the week. We expect that clean up from the storms will take the rest of the week and the coming weekend.

I think I want to go just a little south of the Equator!  Salvador, Bahia, Brazil!     This is Salvador:

One of my best friends from Brazil lives in this area.  This beach is one of her favorite places.

This is the view out my back door:

 

This is out the front door:

City Hall is closed.  Robert is home.  IML is not closed.  I should be at work.  But, there is no unnecessary travel right now.  No one is going out to sample today.  UPS and Fed EX can't get out in this weather.  We will not be getting samples from them.  My stuff can stay in the oven and bake another day...

The car can move now, so I'm going grocery shopping....Wal-Mart should be open, right?

THE MOUNTAINS OF HOME

THE MOUNTAINS OF HOME by  Winna Brown Kalauli - my mom's cousin

They call to me still in the gentle feelings of evening and in the early, golden rays of a new dawn. I see them etched clearly in my mind - tall and red and beckoning to the child still in my soul. I feel them deep within my heart calling me, calling me, calling me...

"Come, climb my peaks once more. Sit on my top and listen to the clean air brush through the pinion pines and ruffle your hair. Search my caves and caverns. Pick my Indian paintbrushes and snowballs and sweet peas. Gather the remnants of others who used to roam me freely ages past - arrowheads among the sagebrush. Come, sing and whistle as you used to, little child, while you scamper over my rocks and boulders, flinging your worries and cares down my canyons and rushing winds. Sit upon my sun-warmed sands, close to Heaven, and look down and ponder on all the glories of your valley home. Then let my strength seal all these wonders in your child heart to last for eternity to bring you back to me when you are grown."

"I am the Mountains of your Home, I will stand here forever, even after you have become too old to wander my silent paths, to play among my rocks and shout joyously from my tops, I am the mountains of your home. I will be here when you return."

 

Copied from Moccasin and Her People.  This is where I came from.   I hope everyone has their own little Moccasin.  Calm, serene, joyful- my mountain home, my family.

On Street Sweepers

Robert is at City Council tonight.  It is 10:55pm.  I texted him at 10:15 or so to see if he was coming home tonight.  --  Council meetings start at 7:00pm and are held every other Monday, with the other two being taken up by Planning Commission. --  I hate Mondays! 

Robert texted me back around 10:30 saying that they are discussing the potential purchase of a street sweeper.

This is our current sweeper.  We got it a few years ago.  It does a good job as far as I can see.  It certainly makes its rounds often enough and helps keep the dust down on the streets. 

Yeah, I think it does a good job.   

So when Robert texted me back with the new street sweeper story I was taken back.  Back to Brazil.  

For those of you who don't know, I served 14 of my 18 month LDS Mission in the interior of Brazil.  I loved it there!  Robert and I met in Brazil.  Life is so much simpler there --  I did not live in any of the large cities such as Rio or Sao Paulo.   So, when I say "simpler",  think Wyoming on steroids! 

This is what pops into my head every time I hear the words street sweeper:

and for the bigger cities, Renato Sorriso, the dancing Street Sweeper from Rio.  Ok, I just found this in Google images... details!

It is 11:15 and Robert is finally home. 

While I was living in Brazil, completely submerged in their culture and seeing these people actually sweeping streets, I couldn't help to wonder how we cleaned streets in the good ol' USA.  I couldn't remember ever seeing anyone pushing a broom on our streets.  I'm sure I would have remembered had I seen it.  Then, some other American missionary would tell me that we actually used machines that sucked up the garbage and dirt.  It was just amazing!!   I couldn't imagine it!

Just like I couldn't figure out how the church has a stake center by the Sao Paulo temple that has a basketball court inside with classrooms surrounding it.  It was amazing to think about it.  Here I was in the middle of Brazil, all the ward buildings had an outside volleyball/soccer court.  Trying to draw a picture in my mind of a normal US LDS ward building was difficult. 

Growing up 21 years in the United States as an active member of the church--every Sunday, every weekday in High School attending Seminary with near perfect attendance--and within 8 months of being submerged in Brazil, I could not remotely think American.  After almost 11 years of being home, I still have issues thinking American- remembering words or phrases, thinking and speaking in the proper English structure. 

I hope the City decides what it wants to do about the potential new Street Sweeper.  Imagine how many more people could have jobs if, like Brazil, we had street sweepers! 

I suppose it wouldn't work too well in the winter, but isn't that what the snow removal department is for?  

New Table

We got a new table set on Saturday.  It has been mostly clean the whole weekend!  It looks so nice I had to snap a photo at dinner tonight. 

Oh shoot!!! don't look at the kitchen sink!!  Gabe didn't finish the dishes!!!

Chelsey is here for dinner tonight.  We love it when she is here. 

Please don't look at my bulletin board!!  It hasn't been touched by the organization fairy, yet!

 

Look What a Little Organization Can Do!

So, lately I've been on this little organization kick.  I have my scrap stuff in 3 different places in my house.   I am trying to get some semblance of order to the chaos!

I got this new cabinet to put stuff in from Home Depot.  I love it cause I can put lots of stuff in it and still find everything. 

  

It still looks a little messy, but it is much better than it used to be!  I even found this old trunk that I put all the stuff on top of the cabinet into it.  Looks so much nicer! 

Across the room is my work area.

 

I know it still looks a MESS, but it isn't as bad as it looks.  REALLY!  I told you I have too much stuff!   I have one other 7 drawer plastic thing upstairs in my bedroom closet.  I'm eventually going to move that stuff down to the living room when I find some space for it!

I got myself all sort of  organized.  I bought the March edition of Creating Keepsake - the organization edition.  I've made a goal to use up my over abundant stash! 

I took Becky Higgins' March sketch and decided to be inspired and work on getting a few of those pictures out of the box and put on paper and in page protectors.  Now I just gotta get some more albums!

Here is my handy work.  Thank you Becky and everyone at Creating Keepsakes for the organization issue!!!

"darling kate" :  CTMH More To Adore Level 2 kit, CTMH Rub-ons, Heidi Swap Flowers, and some really cool 'ghost' letters

 

"When Nature Calls":  CTMH Rustic Trail Level 2 Kit, American Crafts Chipboard Letters,  Me and My Big Ideas stickers, random chipboard arrow - Love it!

...to be continued!

StuffStak Blog Candy Winners Announced!

Turtlelady Sandy!!!!

Sandy, and everyone else, THANX! for playing!!!  This was a really fun challenge. 

Congratulations!  You’ve just won a Level 2 Deck the Halls paper pack and Cocoa Cafe' kit from Close To My Heart.  Both packs are no longer available.  I guess you could call these collectors items!!!

I really love these paper packs and am having a hard time parting with them! 

and

I will email you the 'live' gift certificate with the Code on it so you can actually use it!

I wonder if I could talk E into giving me a GC...I need more stuff!!LOL!!!

Thanx all for playing!!!!

Before I Forget!!

This month is zippin' by!  I wish things would slow down just a bit.  I would like to get a nap in every once in a while! 

Jonathan called me at work today, right after he got out of school. 

J:  "Mom , can Ammon ride the bus home with me?" 

Me:  "Umm... OK."

J:  "Can Ammon spend the night?  It's friday and not a school night."

Me:  "Ummm...Ok.  Does his mom know?"

J:  "Yes!"

Me:  "Ok."

Ten minutes later, from home, Gabe calls...

G:  "Can we play games?"

Me:  "Are your chores done?"

G:  "uh huh"

Me:  "Is Ammon there?"

G:  "Yeah."

Me:  "Ok.  How come this is the first time I've heard about this sleep over?"

G: "I just found about it, too"

J interrupting G:  "I wanna talk to mom!"

Me:  " How come this is the first time I've heard about this sleep over?"

J:  "Mom, don't you remember, I told you about it before!"

Me: "Umm..No you didn't."

J:  "Yes, I did!  Don't you remember?  I called you after school today!"

Me: "Oh yeah, right.  I forgot.   Next time I need more notice!"

J:  "Ok.  Love you mom!"

Me:  "Love you, too!"

J with his lil' sis.

Good times!  Good times!

...cause the darn email link isn't working...

Sorry for all the confusion!!  I didn't realise the email link wasn't working.  Here is my email...  amaryllisb2@gmail.com...

Can't wait to see your answers!  don't forget to comment in the previous post so I know to look for your email!!!!

Have a Scrap Happy day!!

Amaryllis

Coming soon... sketch challenge !

 

Valentine's Day StuffStak Blog Candy Contest

Happy Valentine's Day Ya'LL!!

Sweet Robert got me exactly what I wanted! An iPod!! Not just any iPod, the ORANGE iPod nano!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!

How Cool is that!?! So I took it to work yesterday and listened to The Princess Bride- S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure. I am a Princess Bride NUT!! I have 3 copies of the movie on DVD and 3 different copies of the book!

I forget how short that book is... or how tedious my job is at the moment... I love my job, it just gets boring sometimes. So while I was weighing out beakers and pipetting sample into said beakers, I heard the entire story in less than 4 hours! I'm so glad I downloaded Twilight, too!!

Kate thinks she needs a Pink nano now...

****************************************************

Now for the Valentine's Day FUN stuff!!!

My friend Erin , over at Inky Smiles and Stamper Storage have been helping each other with major dejunking of our creative spaces over the past few weeks. Her closet and my alcove area have been giving each other a run for their money for the mess…. We’ve been sharing photos of the progress and one day I showed her the pic of my InkStak. She was peering at the pic and noticed that I had some rather interesting “non ink” type items hidden away in my InkStak. “Interesting,” she thought, “more than just ink… hrmmmm.”

So, Erin at Inky Smiles, and I came up with a brilliant idea!! We are going to have a combined contest where TWO winner(s) will EACH receive TWO Close To My Heart- never been opened - paper packs from MY personal stash and SUPER AWESOME ERIN is including 2 gift certificates for $15.00 off the purchase of an InkStak (one for each winner) to help you “store more stuff”!

I have been doing a lot of cleaning and realized that I have way too much stuff!!!!! Yes, you can tell your significant other that Amaryllis has too much...No, that doesn't mean she is stopping the shopping!!

So, I love my InkStak!! It makes me smile! It is so handy to have my inks that close to my workspace-- now that my work space is cleaned off and can actually be used. Next stop, the kitchen table!

I must admit that my InkStak does a little more than just hold my ink pads... It also holds a box of tooth picks, important in every crafter's tool box, or InkStak, whatever! I have glitter, and perfume, and sunblock, and 3x5 photos from my husband's mission to Brazil 13 years ago--yes, I know I am way behind! Markers, lip gloss, some embellishment tape from 7Gypsies on a colored pencil. AAA batteries are a must, right?! I have a bag of white Bigger Brads (CTMH), some pens, my spare car key that I need to have re-programmed so I can actually use it! I also have some coasters from Outback Steakhouse, pliers, a ruler, blank coasters, a AA battery and wire cutters. There is also a pair of scissors & a deck of cards. The deck of cards is important. One day they will be a deck of memories... One down, fifty-one to go! And we're almost there... I also have a sponge, a pen size hand sanitizer, and some dangle accessories- for ribbon maybe?.. Lotion and a hammer. Oh, there are also 61 stamp pads in my InkStak!

Can you find them all?

This is what you must do to enter the contest:

1.) Email (click on email to pull up the address) your answers to each person for a chance on each blog. Email your list of answers like so:

ITEM NAME -----------------ROW --------------COLUMN

2.) Then, please leave a comment on the blogs so we know to check for your email.

You have until Saturday, February 21st @ noon to submit your answers! We will only draw from those who play the game and send in answers.
We will randomly select 2 entries from the persons who find the most items and posts here or on Erin's site will win 2 CTMH paper packs, never been used, that I have hiding in my stash and a $15.00 gift certificate towards the purchase of an InkStak! So, two winners, one from Inky Smiles and one from Meaux Scraps!

Happy Scraps & Inky Smiles to you! See you in a week!!!

For some reason my email isn't coming through, sooo.. here it is: amaryllisb2@gmail.com. Sorry about that. this should work!

7 Favorite Things

So one of my bestest buddies, Erin, over at Inky Smiles, tagged me for a Kreativ Blogger Award! I am really excited about this. Although I have not posted much in the way of creative stuff lately, Erin knows better.

So, in honor of this award I will post a few things i have been working on along with my 7 favorite things...

* My Family


* My Friends


* My Camera (Rebel xTi) Yes, I occasionally let the little people touch it!


* My Scrapbook Supplies - no, this is not all of them!


* Stuff I've Made - which is usually given away




* Peace and Quiet


* The Funny Things My Children Say
"but, I need gum in my life!" - Gabe, after being grounded from gum.
"What the..!" - Jonathan, when ever anything happens!
"More like a BUTT Cracker!" - Kate, referring to farts and fire crackers!


I nominate the following, not for just being the crafty people they are but for being an inspiration to me, too!
Jessalee, Janeen, Michelle Zindorf, Jen del Muro, The Pioneer Woman- cause, dadgum if she ain't amaizin'!, Inky Smiles, too (you don't have to do this again if you don't want to! :), I can't think of anyone else at the moment but there are lots of amazing people out there that inspire me! Thank you all!!

Now all you have to do is...list your 7 fav's on your blog and go tag some bloggers... You can click on the award graphic to save a larger size one for your blog.

Is It Spring Yet?

Did a little bit of cleaning yesterday in hopes of finding a very important piece of plastic... Didn't find the plastic but I did get a little organizing done. My little Scrap Shack was needing some serious help! Here's a lovely photo of one corner of my scrappiness. Don't look at the parts that are messy! LOL!!



Now if I could just get the rest of the house cleaned out!

This Just In!!

Gabe made the news! All because the meanest mommy in the world made him go to some crazy scout thing Saturday morning.

To hear Gabe, click on the 2nd arrow and turn your volume up!

From Sheridan Media.com January 19, 2009:

BOY SCOUTS PARTICIPATE IN IMPORTANT PATRIOTIC EVENT - On Saturday at Sheridan's City Hall, Boy Scout Troop 117 took part in an event to honor one of our Nation's flags, after it had lived out its purpose. The worn and tired flag that was previously flying above City Hall was retired by members of the Troop by burning it with dignity next to the building. Scout Master John Stopka explains why these ceremonies are important for the Troop.The old flag was replaced with a new one, which is now ready to live out its purpose, just like the one before it. Boy Scout Tim Lowman and Cub Scout Gabriel Briggs describe how the experience was for them.This was the first flag burning for most of the troop, but Stopka says there are still some flags that will need to be retired at the Scouts' summer camps this year.

I didn't take my camera, which means I didn't get any good pictures. The one on the website is all I have. So, here is a picture of Gabe pinning me when he earned his Wolf badge Last January.



I know, I need more photos of scouting stuff!! I'm so proud that Gabe enjoyed it and thought it was cool. Jonathan came too, but I think it was a little beyond him as he kept asking when it was "going to be over?" and "could we go home now?".

Resolution.. A Little Late, But Better Than Never!

I love the scriptures! They have so many wonderful exmples of the Savior's love for us. I especially love the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon has the complete Gospel as Jesus taught it when he lived on the earth. The Book of Mormon, Another testament of Jesus Christ.

Last night, the kids and I (Robert had a late meeting)sat down and read a couple of chapters of the Book of Mormon as scripture study. We read about Nephi being born of good parents who taught him the things he needed to know both spiritual and temporal. Then, about the Vision his father Lehi had concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and the cycle of life- if you choose to obey the comandments you will be blessed, but if you do not follow the comandments you will be cursed. It is all so simple, really!

So the kids and I were sitting together reading and I noticed how well they read. they are smart kids, of course. But they did not stumble on any of the words, and there are a lotof difficult words in the scriptures, i.e. abominations, whithersoever, etc. I also noticed later how peaceful the rest of the night was. The kids didn't complain about going to bed. I didn't get upset at them for little annoing things. And when I went in to tuck the boys in bed, they had the most loving smiles on their faces for me. It made my heart leap!

The kids were challenged by their Primary presidency to read the scriptures daily, either on their own or as a family. I am working on a 'degree' through Relief Society that challenges myself to read the scriptures daily plus study them 3 times a week, or something like that. So, I am combining our challenges and we are doing it together. It has been a long time sisnce I have really studied and read the scriptures with any regularity. I hope these challenges help me to be a better person, mother, wife and friend. I hope they help my children learn to love the scriptures and have more peace in our home.

ALL Things Paper

My dear friend Erin Grotegut (of Inky Smiles and Stamper Storage) sent me a beautiful handmade bracelet for Christmas. I don't have a picture of it yet, but you can look here to see an example of the amazing craftyness! Yes, the bracelet is made by rolling paper into beads and embossing them!! SOO COOOL!!

Someday!!!

Thanx EEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!