Tuesday, March 24, 2009

photo heavy...

me, t, tay, breezy
bre, maxx, grandma brenda

happy birthday maxx!
kaden isaac
haley j.

cousins...
kaden & mama (& reese)
miss brie
mama, adam & baby thiel

kate, whit, me, em, bran (& reese), nellie (&baby)

u can take the girls out of the party...but u can't take the party out of the girls
club ice

Sunday, March 15, 2009

good luck.

This is for the current challenge over at Category Stories ("I'm lucky") and I hope you play along.

This looks like such a simple little layout but it really means a lot to me.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about the amount of violence in our world, and how much of it is directed toward women by people who claim to love them, people they are supposed to be able to trust.


I am pretty sure that Rihanna being beat up brought this to the forefront of my mind again. But sometimes I feel as though it's 'open season' on women. There are many problems that keep this cycle going.

One of the problems is that it's seen as shameful and that it's supposed to be hush hush, a dirty little secret. It's hard to relate to a woman when the victim doesn't have a face or a relationship with you. It's easier to wonder what she might have done to provoke the abuse (or the "situation", which seems to be the catch-all, no-blame term lately).


So I give you this layout. I was in an abusive relationship. And I got out. I was lucky. Some women try to get out and can't. Some women are too terrified of the threats that their children will be hurt. Some really believe that it won't happen again. And some get out only on paper, and live a life of fear and sometimes of eventual murder.


And I thought about deleting all of this (as you read this, I bet I'm still thinking of it). I thought about the possible repercussions. And then I thought about you being able to put a face to this. And I changed my mind. Here's my face. I did nothing out of the ordinary of a human relationship to "provoke it" and it happened. If my face is your face, seek help so that you can get out and you can live.


Good Luck by Counting Crows
Larry's in Vegas with some chick from L.A.
The best things are sevens; the sex is just okay
"So please stay," she says,
"Just stay."
cause there's a show at eleven
The drinks are all free
Maybe you can do better for yourself
But not me
So please stay, keep me company
All the while thinking this is the good luck
He stays with her most of the time
It takes time to make these machines run
And people are so unkind
Gets kind of nervous
When it used to be hard
She takes the edges off evenings
In bedrooms and back seats of big cars
All the while thinking this is the good luck
He stays with her most of the time
It takes time to make these machines work
And people are so unkind
She looks in the mirror
To make sure she's here
She keeps disappearing and dreaming
Of movie stars, weddings
Nothing is happening
He tries not to notice
She thinks he doesn't care
Capture yourself in a jar
And just say there
Until you vanish to thin air
All the while thinking this is the good luck
He stays with her most of the time
But he ain't got time while she's riding in black cars
And pokes at the sky to see if he can make stars
And people are so unkind
People are so unkind
People are so unkind
People are so unkind . . .

Friday, March 13, 2009

that's what she said...


This is my niece and nephew. When my stepbrother and his wife told us what they were most likely going to name my nephew (Tiernan David) my niece said this (Umm...I'm uh gonna call him Tiernan Dave) quietly under her breath to us. It was too cute.
This was for our "Office" themed challenges over at Tally. Thus the title: "That's what she said." I've been so busy at work & yet haven't gotten any work done! I feel a little far away from my internet distractions this week. Hopefully next week will be more productive and thus I will feel more like I can take some breaks.
Excited for Tay to be here tomorrow. She is bringing her bf and they are coming w/ me to the Martin Sexton concert, for which I have reserved seats. Jealous?!
Have a wonderful weekend all!

Friday, March 6, 2009

MARCH to the beat of your own drum...

"I don't want to live forever. But as long as I do I'd love to live for real." K's Choice

a weekend agenda, what? what! yep, even though I am swamped w/ other stuff to do I am so totally in the mood to blog, I couldn't let it pass me by. the next couple weekends will be crazy(good/crazy) with traveling and good music so this weekend has been hereby declared as a "lazy weekend".

on the weekend agenda...
  • mail the RDT application & pray (today!)
  • mail out two goodie boxes...one for Heidi's scrappers and one for Nikki for winning my challenge!
  • dinner tonight w/ my crazy nurse friend (wahoo)
  • scrapping (2nd category for category stories, "elude" for my art journal atc's, & my "team schrute challenge for the week"
  • catching up on the DVR...I've got some of "my story" (Guiding Light), the Medium, CSI, Criminal Minds (from 2 weeks ago) and the season finale of Nip/Tuck.
  • watch the Watchmen (sunday, keenan is ecstatic)
  • clean my apartment
  • spend time lounging in my sweatpants (this is what weekends are for)

Notice I did not schedule any time for migraine headaches? Do you hear me weather?

Monday, March 2, 2009

precious things...

"Words are alive; cut them and they bleed." Ralph Waldo Emerson

The first prompt for March at Category Stories is "Precious Things". I figured there might be a lot of kiddo layouts for the mama's of the bunch and I really tried hard to think of something that is most precious to me. I finally decided on words (in the form of lyrics for this purpose). Counting Crows have been my favorite band since high school. I cannot get away from their lyrics no matter how old I get. I listen to the same albums I did more than a decade ago and they still find new ways to "get me". Here's my homage to the most precious thing in my life at this moment. Can't wait to see exactly what's precious to you!



also finished my prompts for February's art journals "clearly" and "decide" I am using lyrics for those too and creating ATC (artist trading cards) for those. This month's first prompt is "elude".

I know I owe you photos and an update on real life. But it's going to have to wait until after I turn in my RDT application (which should be at the end of this week!)