Hello from Virginia!

Just checking in to say hello. We are all moved in to our new home and are in the middle of the huge job of unpacking and settling in. We finally got phone, cable and most importantly internet hooked up so I am trilled to be back among my cyber friends! :) I will be catching up on emails, blogs and message boards as time allows and will share some photos soon. Hope you are all doing well!

Merry Christmas!

I hope your day is filled with JOY!

A couple more layouts :)

Both of these layouts are from Feeling Scrappy's last sketch class. Our next class "From Mess to Success!" starts January 15th! You can check it out here (be sure to have a look around while you are there!): http://feelingscrappyclasses.blogspot.com/

This layout was done using a sketch by me and is of my oldest son and his skateboarding.

This one is based on a sketch by Stacey Lokovic and is of me and my friends on a scrappy weekend. SO fun!

Hope you are enjoying the holiday season and having fun with all the preparations!

Layouts

Thought I would do a "scheduled" post while I was on the road to Virginia to share a few layouts with you :o) These are two more from the last Sketch class.

This one was a sketch by Stacey Lokovic and is of the Omaha botanical gardens.


This one uses a sketch by Amy Bell and is of my daughter on her 10 birthday.

Thanks for looking :o) Have a great day!

Heads up!

Just wanted to let you know I have a little Christmas blog candy up for grabs on the Feeling Scrappy blog. Check it out here: http://feelingscrappyclasses.blogspot.com/

Good luck!

Choose Joy - Hitting the Road

We will be leaving Omaha behind tomorrow and heading toward a new future in Virginia. We are all very excited about the possibilities that await us and sad at the same time to be leaving a city that has been a good home to us for 5 years. I find JOY today in the fact that our family will be all together again soon!

I will be away from the computer until after the holidays. Need to get settled in Virginia then will be entertaining family for 6 days - I hope to get the Internet and phones hooked up some where in there. Anyhow, I will check in when I can and until then I hope you are finding JOY this holiday season!

Choose Joy - My oldest son

Jacob Jones - July 2008

Jacob has a sensitive soul. He cares about people and I know this move is hard on him - what 7th grader wants to move across the country? Today was his last day of school and before he left I gave him a big hug and told him I was sorry he had to go through this. Do you know what this boy said? "Mom, this will only hurt for awhile. My family is what is important and I will still have you." It brings me JOY that he knows who he is and what is important in life. I love you Jacob!

Choose Joy - My daughter

Abbie Jones - photo taken July 4, 2008

Abbie brings me JOY everyday. Sometimes it is a sweet smile or a warm hug, other times it is a kindness she does or the way she cares for the dog...today it was a report I read about her. Her gifted teacher at school wrote a report about Abbie for us to take to the new school. It was a glowing account of her accomplishments both in academics and behavior. She is and I quote "a teacher's dream" I am so proud of you Abbie - you are my dream come true! I love you.

Choose Joy - Packing Done

All the packing is done and the movers will be here to load everything bright and early in the morning. Having a huge job checked off the list brings me JOY today!

Choose Joy - My song bird

Sam Jones - photo taken Sept 2008

Tonight we attend Sam's Christmas Concert. He absolutely loves to sing and watching him is a joyous thing. When he is singing, he is so animated and full of joy himself that you can not help but be caught up in it! Sam, I am so happy you have found a special thing that makes you happy - may you always give yourself fully to the music in your soul! Love you baby!

Choose Joy - My Mom

My mom and Sam - Florida April 2008

My Mom is coming today! Joy, Joy Joy! I am so happy and relived that she will be here in a few hours. She is coming to help me finish up getting the house ready, then she will be driving across country with the kids and I and finally helping me unpack a little on the other end. Even though there is a lot to do and a lot of it is not fun stuff - it will be so much better because she will be here with me. She is always here whenever I need her - without fail. And somehow we will manage to laugh through it all. I love you Mom!

Choose Joy - My husband

Don and Jayne - Photo taken June 2008 Omaha Botanical Gardens

Talking with Don this morning about our move and realizing in less then two weeks we will be together again brings me JOY! Six months is to long to be apart - I miss him. He is feeling badly that he can't be here to help with all the last minute move details. I won't say that I don't wish he was here to help but knowing that he wants to be is enough for me. 10 days and counting!

Choose Joy - My puppy

Our sweet puppy, Zoe brings JOY into my life every single day. She is a lap dog in every way - she loves her family and is especially attached to me. She is so well trained and such a good dog. She keeps me company during the day when I am alone, she is my side kick in the car while running errands or getting the kids to and from school, and when I do have to leave her - she greets me like a long lost friend when I return (even when I have only been gone a few minutes!) and best of all she is full of personality and always makes me smile at her little antics. I love my little white ball of fluff!

Choose Joy - My Sister

My sister Kristin and her dog Blue taken in on the 4th of July this year.

We don't get to be together as often as I would like (she lives in Indianapolis) nor do we even get to talk as often as we could - busy, busy - but today we had a nice long talk about everything and nothing at all. It was so nice just visiting with my sis :0) I am really looking forward to seeing her in Richmond over Christmas! So thanks for bringing me JOY today Kristin. I love you!

Friday Mish Mash

Wishing you a Happy Friday and I have a few things to share.

Be sure to check out Feeling Scrappy today. Stacey just put up a nice quick challenge and the prize in a free "Year of Cheer" card class in February! You have until next Wednesday to complete the challenge so maybe you can fit it in over the weekend.

A few more layouts to share from the Sketch class last month:

And finally a Friday "Fill-in" :)

1. Snow is so beautiful when it first blankets the ground.

2. I'm looking forward to my mom coming on Monday!

3. Zoe is the best dog ever!

4. One of my favorite old tv shows is Happy Days.

5. I'm done with cleaning out all the kitchen cabinets.

6. The most enjoyable thing around the holidays is spending time together as a family!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching Abbie play soccer, tomorrow my plans include more cleaning and packing and Sunday, I want to sleep in!

Choose Joy - Mail

I love mail :) Always have. When I was younger, I was the first one home from school and I would always get the mail even though most of the time it wasn't for me. Then, when I went to high school and college I really got into mail - loved writing and receiving letters (yes - this was before I owned a computer or before I had even heard of the Internet much less e-mail!) Now, even though letter writing has sadly gone by the way side for the most part there is still that part of me that gets excited everyday to check the mail. You just never know what will be in there and it is like a little surprise at the end of every day! So...mail gives me JOY! Hmmmm - wonder what is waiting for me today?! Better go check!

Just Fabulous Darling!

My virtual friend Lee chose my blog as one of five to receive the Fabulous Award. Thanks for thinking of me Lee! :o)

Here are the rules for this Award.
#1 - You have to pass it on to 5 other fabulous blogs in a post.
#2 - You have to list 5 of your fabulous addictions in the post.
#3 - On your post of receiving this award, make sure you include the person that gave you the award and link it back to them.

Here are my 5 fabulous addictions:
#1 - I am addicted to scrapbooking - need I say more?
#2 - I am addicted to Christmas music this time of year!
#3 - I am addicted to the world of blogs - love reading them and writing them :)
#4 - I am addicted to working toward bettering my health (for the first time in my life!)
#5 - I am addicted to travel - I am always thinking about my next trip.

Here are the 5 Fabulous Blogs I'd like to pass this award on to:
#1 - Amy - All the Trimmings

#2 - Shirley - ----Shirley----
#3 - Stacey - Scraps of my Life
#4 - Stacey - Curry Chaos
#5 - Becky - My Cre8tive Place

Choose Joy - Music

Sherry put up a great December challenge - to choose JOY! From her blog challenge post: "Look for JOY each day and blog about it. It might be something as big as attending a wedding or as small as how cozy your slippers feel...it's up to you. CHOOSE to find joy.each.day." What a great idea!

Being in the midst of moving I will not commit to blogging everyday but I do commit to taking a few quiet moments to reflect on the simple joys in my life each and every day this month. I will try to share them here and there with you :)

Today while waiting in the car to pick up Abbie from school, I was looking at all the houses decked out in their Christmas finery and caught myself feeling a little sad that our home is not decorated with Christmas fun but with cardboard boxes. Then I flipped on the radio and the sweet sound of Christmas music greeted me. Wow - a total turn around! I love Christmas music. The music fills me with JOY!