Monday, May 3, 2010

a little pick me up and catch me up


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seems like i'm always playing catch up... whether it's my blog or facebook or housecleaning or scrapbooking. things always seem to get done... eventually. for things that have actual deadlines, i'm rarely behind, but for the rest of the bits of sand that fill in life's jar, those things without hard and fast deadlines, i always seem to be falling behind.

my house is always clean at least one day a week - wednesday... rather it is clean by wednesday evening. we have a Bible study/potluck at our house every week. i'm pretty sure stan kept it at the house while he was gone just so he knew in his heart that i'd clean once a week! that man knows me well! hee hee. and, of course, he is right. i will always have it clean (at least by my standards) by wednesday at 6pm. 

deadlines work like that for me, and procrastination is sort of my life theme. deadlines are something to concentrate on with fervor just moments before they arrive. i'm not a scheduled person, and thankfully for most areas of my life, that is a good thing. it comes in handy being married to a wonderful man whose schedule changes wildly every day. organization and schedules seem beautifully unattainable to me.

i sat in on an organization workshop with my dear friend cami this past weekend. cami and i were roommates for several years many years ago. she is like stan... super organized an enviably put together person. me... not so much! we chuckled in the back row while i told her it was just an "enabler" class for her, while it was more of a hopeless fantasy for me.  we laughed at old traits that only seem to solidify over time. and if i can continue to laugh at and about those crazy fun short comings for the rest of my days, i think my life will have been a happy one.

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 and now, i hope to hopelessly bore you with a zillion (i haven't counted, but i'm sure it's quite close to a zillion) pictures from the past couple of weeks. 

friday was crazy hair day. torrey was hoping to have her hair in a star shape... we've been talking about it off and on since last year. well, i rolled my sorry self out of bed a little late on friday (*note time management issues listed above). we were running too late to make the star. so with goopy hair goo, pipe cleaners and some tissue paper (to help with emma's)... we pulled off some quickie crazy hairdos. {more pics here}

if it weren't for the last minute, i wouldn't get anything done!

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in other news, not involving my seriously lack of organizational life skills, emma got some new specs. she's been wanting them since torrey got hers last year, and with genetics on her side... her wish came true! she looks beautiful, and so much more grown up than i'd like to admit. they did however give her a couple days of serious headaches and dizziness, one of which ended in losing her lunch in her classroom garbage can. thankfully it only lasted a couple days, then she was back in business. {more pics here}

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and who can forget about tulip time? especially when you have thousands of acres of tulips available for strolling through just minutes from where you live. did i ever tell you how lucky we are? we didn't get up there as many times as i'd hoped to, we never do... but they are always beautiful and amazing and peaceful. {more pics here}

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beside the rigors of daily life, i've been planning our church's woman's retreat. well, i get the group together and head to the retreat that's already planned at warm beach camp. but to make things just that much more special... we put together goodie boxes and notepads, and have shirts made for all of the ladies. i'm lucky enough to be on the planning committee for warm beach, to bring my church girls and this year i even taught a party planning class for the retreat. not necessarily a relaxing weekend, but always always a good one. {more pics here}

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{crafty craftiness}

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on the happy scrappy front, i've been a busy little bee, crafting away with loads of great goodies. woohoo!

sweetness surrounds her
first i am very excited to be a part of the new punky sprouts design team! this brand new company makes some wicked sweet (and green) mixed media mini albums. if your local store doesn't carry these amazing albums yet... ask for them! they're loads of fun! for the latest news and fun, become a facebook fan here. my first two punky albums can be seen in full here and here.

i am also lucky enough to keep on creating with the fabulous girls over at glitz. i love those ladies, and their scrapbook goodies get more fabulous with each new release! keep an eye out for new glitz layouts coming very soon!

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i've also been keeping busy with the scrap review.  with this last review, i stained my fingers with loads of the beautiful shimmery goodness that is glimmer mist. i {heart} tattered angels



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things i love about this man
this last week i did receive some very sad scrap news that my favorite, and i'm quite sure the best ever, local scrapbook store, lasting memories, is closing.  it all came as quite a surprise, but the wonderful owners are happy with the life decision this is for their current phase in life. i'm pretty sure i'm going to be going through terrible shopping withdraws, but i'll do my best to survive them! best of luck to you jennifer & lee and all of the lasting memories girls! i'll miss you terribly!

because of him you soar

because of him you soar - detail

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now, to save you from my hopeless rambling (and if you've had the strength to make it this far... you amaze me already!) i will just post a bunch of daily life pictures... sans commentary.

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{out of doors}

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it's spring here in the great green state of washington, and my yard is all abloom, with no help from me i might add. lucky for me we have a yard full of self-maintaining flowers as well as a God given sprinkler system in the sky. these are a few of my favorites from the past couple of weeks.

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{the end... almost}

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alas, i've come to the end of my behind-ness, at least until tomorrow!


15 comments:

joscelyne cutchens said...

i love it, love all of it!
Is lasting memories the store where Tina works? how sad?! ps. i have no idea about being organizationally challenged, or problems with procrastination myself... not. hee hee! :)

noel joy said...

lol joscie! we're lucky to have our navy guys!

yah, lm is the store where tina works... i'm so so sad!

Tracy said...

Noel, your pictures and artwork once again are amazing...you always seem to wow and inspire me at the same time. Emma does look so grown up. I have been reading your blog for so long it feels as if I have known her forever and am watching her grow with you (LOL). I too am organizationally challenged and clean on deadline...maintaining a clean & organized home is truley just a fantasy of mine.

Thanks again for the daily dose of normal...too bad you are clear across the country, you & I seem to have so much in common.

Have a wonderful day.

Lee said...

What a fabulous catch-up! Enjoy the rest of your week ;)

Scrappy Girl said...

I see we still share an addiction to Gymboree! Love all your photos!

Stan said...

Don't change a thing about yourself babe. I love you just the way you are, mess and all!

Anonymous said...

Oh, I know so sad about LM- My daughter went over on Friday and visited with all her former co-workers and Jennifer {lot's of tears, going on!}- LM is where scrapping began for me, everything I've learned I learned from gals at the store or whom I met because of the store. The girls there watched my daughter grow up, she was 8 when we first dawned the doors of LM, now she's a young career girl in her early 20's. She has the job she has today, because of the job she had at LM- Jennifer and Lee gave her many opportunities and taught her much. I don't think that there will ever be anything quite like LM again. :(

Cami said...

So fun to see you this weekend, sweet Noel. LOVED your workshop. Of course I'm guiltlessly stealing many of your extremely creative ideas for Kristin's baby shower. It was fun to laugh in the organizing seminar with you. I'm not as organized as I long to be. And my bathrooms are dirtier than I ever imagined they would be. But life is much sweeter with enough going on that there isn't enough time to be as on top of things as I dream about being... that's the best lesson that you tried to teach me years ago and I'm finally learning now with my three kiddos. Beautiful pages, as usual!

Jennifer Evans said...

Man, this was a good post... sigh!

Anonymous said...

Came by to say hi, and got such lovely photos and great layouts! Thanks for sharing them. And really, all this awesome hair design?!? You are an amazing mom! (I only have boys. They go to school with bedhead.)

Patti said...

Beautiful creations and photos!!

Congrats on all your "NEWS".

Awww, as for the organization.. I can use a bit of help in that dept. around here myself.. just consider one of our 'unique'qualities.. *wink* lol!!.. or lack thereof:)

Now, I have to get off my butt this week and take some new photos now.. thanks for the motivation:)

Unknown said...

You're pictures are FAB! I'm a procrastinator, too... so I can relate! ;) luv ya!!
Chris

Anonymous said...

Luv the crazy hair! Do the teachers also do crazy hair on that day? Never had anything like that when I was in school.

--Marilyn
Northern VA

Anonymous said...

I am so inspired by you! First of all the hair...don't know how you find the time! Gorgeous family, your daughters are bother stunning! Your scarpping, amazing and your photography mind-blowing!!!

Hugs- L

Cami said...

Noel, wandered back here. Quick question: the cloth "rose" on one of the scrapbook pages, did you make that yourself or buy it? I want to learn how to make those wrapped roses and just wondered if you knew of a tutorial...

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