Small steps for DAWNkind :-)

Well, it's time for a CURVES update.

I went for my 11th workout today and it was time for my next set of measurements and my weigh in. Again, small steps... In total, I've lost 5 1/2 total body inches and 2.25 total body fat pounds. I know, I know, it doesn't sound like a lot. But it's a start. I was told that the next weigh in & measurement day will really start to show my progress. So until then...I'll continue to be inspired!

YAY, Me!!!

New Layout - Pretty in Paisley

Hello everyone. I hope this post finds you all well.

Finally, I've started scrapping something other than soccer pages. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy doing the soccer layouts for Markell and Jayla. But I'm getting a little bored with the color scheme. As long as the kids play soccer with this particular league, they'll ALWAYS wear some combination of red, black & white. Funny thing is, I LOVE this color combination. But with 2 kids playing for the same league and 7 seasons (= 3 years), the pictures eventually start to look the same. Ya feel me??? But as I'm sure you all are aware, even though I'm doing a little "complaining" about it, I'm going to continue doing those soccer layouts as long as the kids play...I am a soccer mom, after all :-).

Now having said all that, I still get a little bored with soccer layouts. Which brings me to the reason for this post tonight.

A few months ago, I posted a layout of my oldest daughter, entitled "That was then..this is NOW". Little did I know that that ONE layout would lead to my wanting to do an entire album of her modeling shoots. And not only am I doing an album for myself, I'm going to make a copy of it for her...sort of like a portfolio.

ANYway...enough chatting. Here's a layout I did last night of my daughter and I must say...I LOVE it!!! Once I finished it, I noticed that the layout reminded me of my (current) favorite scrapbooking personality...Heidi Swapp. I think what I love about this LO is that it's classy, simple, elegant and sophisticated all at the same time. I hope you agree. Thanks for looking.

Supplies used: Black cardstock, ribbed/sheer ribbon from Michaels, Patterned paper by BoBunny Press (Midnight Paisley), brad & Heidi Swapp flowers.

Happy Fathers & Husbands Day!

Happy Father's day everyone!

In todays society, it is a blessing for those of us who have a positive male role model in our lives. I just read the post of a fellow blogger (Veronica) and she featured 4 men that are currently in her life. How cool is that? I mean, it's rare to have ONE, but she has 4. Sure, there have been some issues with some of them...as there are with all of us. But regardless of their pasts, she honored them on this special day. Veronica, I commend you for that.

I too am blessed to have several men in my life. However, I will only feature a few here today.

First, there's my daddy. Yes, I am still a daddys girl. How could I not be? He's the first man I ever fell in love with...the first to sweep me off my feet. My dad, Julius, is a wonderful man. A man who will give the shirt off his back and the last dime from his pocked for those in need. Dad and I were separated for several years after he and my mom divorced. I think because of that, we became very close once we were reunited. And have vowed never to lose touch with eachother again. If you are EVER in the mood to laugh to the point of tears, Julius is the person to call. Although, sometimes the timing is a little less than desirable...the laughter is always welcomed. This man TRULY loves his grandkids and to them, he is the worlds best Pop-Pop. I love you, Dad. Happy Fathers Day!!

Next, there's my mothers husband, Peter. This man is wonderful!! The thing I love the most about him is how he loves my mother. When I talked to Peter for the first time, I wasn't quite sure if we would hit it off. And to this day, he probably doesn't even know I felt that way. But whatever the reservathions were that I had about him, they are TOTALLY gone now. He is an amazing man, very intelligent, very sweet...and very tall :-). And again, he LOVES my mother. He has shown me and my sister nothing but respect and love since coming into our family several years ago. We could ask for nothing better for our mother. I love you, Peter. Happy Father's Day!!

Last and DEFINITELY not least, is the MAIN man in my life...my dear husband, Marque. Oh my goodness, I L-O-V-E this man...do you hear me??? I love him!! Marque and I have been together a little over 20 years and in December of this year, will be married 18 years. He's GOT to be quite a man to deal with ME for so long...LOL. Marque came into my life when things were just not going my way. I was a single mother of a 16 month old daugher and having issues at home. Marque stuck with me in spite of myself. Fast forwarding a few years, he took in my 8 day old baby nephew, Markell (who is now 11 years old) without a second thought or a blink of an eye. And he has raised him like his own son. Fast forwarding several more years, he eventually became the father of our youngest daughter, Jayla. Together, we prayed for this child and God blessed us with her. Marque has worked and continues to work very hard to support our family. He even made it possible, through his faith and the grace of God, for me to become a stay at home mom. I could go on and on about my husband, but I'll stop for now. However, I will say again, that Marque has my unconditional love, he's an awesome father, husband & son, and he's beautiful...both inside and out. Marque, I love you, babe! Happy Fathers Day!!! (this picture is of Marque wearing his Father's Day gifts; the Brazillian World Cup jersey and cap)

Happy Father's Day again, everyone. Even to you mothers who are both parents to your children.

Jayla's first visit to the dentist - Take 2

Not sure what the problem is with BLOGGER, but I can't seem to add the last 3 pictures of Jayla's visit to the dentist. So, I'm gonna try and add them here.

These are really not fantastic pictures, but SHE want's them included :-).

Time for some x-rays. Ok, now I just KNEW she'd freak out when she had to hold that metal contraption in her mouth for x-rays. And for those of you who go to the dentist, you know how uncomfortable those things are. Well, surprise, surprise...she did wonderful with those too (twice).

Jayla showing off her brand new toothbrush. She also got her very own container of dental floss (that should be interesting....LOL).

And lastly.............

Jayla and Dr. Kimmerling. Everything looks great, NO sign of cavities, everybody's happy. See ya in 6 months!

Jayla's first visit to the dentist

Hello everyone. I hope this post finds you well.

I wasn't sure if I was going to do this entry or not. As I wasn't quite sure what the outcome of todays visit would be. But I must say, Jayla's very first visit to the dentist was FABULOUS! I was pleasantly shocked at how well she did. We'd been talking about the visit and what she should expect...all in an effort to keep her from being scared.

Well, she woke up this morning and was so "decided" (a.k.a. excited) to be going to see Dr. Kimmerling. She showed me how she was going to hold her mouth open...which didn't seem like it'd be a problem to me, as much as she talks...LOL. Anyway, she was ready to go. We got there and then she got a little nervous. (prior to this visit, I had taken her to see me & Markell get our teeth cleaned so she could have a little idea of what she'd have to do). So she'd been to the office before. The hygenist was AMAZING and SO gentle with my baby. She even had the TV tuned to one of Jayla's favorite shows, just to make her more comfortable.

Anyway, here are a few pix from todays visit.

This is Jayla waiting to be called back. Poor little thing, this is when she started to look a little nervous.

The hygenist offered Jayla some glasses to wear to keep water from spraying in her face. But after trying them on, she declined :-).

Let the cleaning begin!

This picture is so funny to me. Jayla was being so brave. Look how rigid her little legs were...LOL. She did great!

Well, there were a couple more pix I wanted to add. But Blogger is obviously experiencing some issues at the moment.

Anyway, thanks for looking and if I'm able, I'll add the last 2 photos.

Define IRONY: Daddy was so proud of his baby for doing so well at the dentist today. He rewarded her with (get this...) a bag of M&M's. :-)

QUIZ: What's your scrapbook strength?

Hey all you scrapbookers, this should be interesting (and fun). I received an email from CK magazine today and it had this quiz on it. So I thought it would be fun to see what they say my scrapbooking "style" is. I took it and the results were pretty interesting and somewhat eyeopening.
Then I thought, how interesting would it be to share the test and see how other scrapbookers compare?

Well, here it is. "Take this fun quiz to start discovering your personal scrapbook style".

1. If you had to choose a career from this list, what would you choose?
a. Writer
b. Photographer
c. Personal Shopper
d. Artist

2. What's your thought process when you take a photograph?
a. My friends won't belive the story behind THIS photo!
b. I love how the light is perfect for this shot.
c. Hmmm....what's missing from this composition?
d. These lines are going to make an excellent picture.

3. You've been given a $20 gift certificate. What would you buy?
a. A new collection of fonts
b. More photo paper and ink for your printer
c. Enough supplies to complete 6 or more layouts
d. Something fun and new from the art supply store.

4. Which article would you read first?
a. How to write the story behind the story
b. How to set up your own photo shoot
c. How to choose accents for your pages
d. How to use silver leafing on your pages

5. You have one hour to scrapbook. What do you do?
a. I write the story for my page
b. I digitally edit my photos
c. I play with different colors of accents, moving them around until I feel like I have a pleasing layout.
d. I get out my embossing powder, metal accents and a heat gun and play!

6. When my friends look at my scrapbook pages, they say:
a. What a great story!
b. Look at those pictures!
c. You make this look so easy!
d. What incredible work!

7. You get to choose an assignment from CK. Which one would you take?
a. Create a page featuring a letter to a friend.
b. Creat a page showcasing six photographs.
c. Create a page using 3 new products from your favorite scrapbooking supply line.
d. Create a page using 3 products from the art supply store, that you wouldn't find in your local scrapbook store.

8. When you read an article in CK, what do you focus on first?
a. I read all the journaling on the scrapbook pages first, and I get frustrated when the journaling is too small to read.
b. I look at all the photos on all the layouts first.
c. I look at the overall article design and then go back and forth between the text and the visuals. d. I read the supply lists and look for cool new products.

Now, tally your answers.....

If you had mostly A's:
Your primary strength is Scrapbook Storyteller. You're most interested in sharing the story behind your photos and making sure your memories are chronicled and documented with words.
A challenge for you: Have fun with your journaling. Realize that not all stories need to be sad or serious to be heartwarming. Experiment with different ways of communicating information; use lists, dialogue, quotes from favorite books, hidden journaling and more.

If you had mostly B's:
Your primary strength is a Scrapbook Photographer. You've probably studied your camera manual, taken photography classes and studied photos for what works and what doesn't.

A challenge for you: Continue to develop your photography skills so your pictures tell as much of your scrapbook story as possible. Take photographs of every single person you know and see how many distinct personality traits you can capture.

**If you had mostly C's: (**this was me)
Your primary strength is a Scrapbook Stylist. You have an ability to pull together different elements and make them shine on a layout.

A challenge for you: Choose supplies you don't normally use and see what new combos you can create.

If you had mostly D's:
Your primary strength is Scrapbook Artist. You love playing with scrapbook styles, creating new looks, pushing the envelope and trying new techniques.

A challenge for you: Continue to push the envelope. Realize that you're scrapbooking for the joy of creating something unique. Come upwith a new technique you've never seen before.

Improve in other areas! Try a challenge from one of your weaker scrapbook styles.

Anyway, I hope you all had fun getting an idea of what your scrapbooking style is. I look forward to hearing your results.

Have a wonderfully blessed day! Be inspired...

TAG: Spring edition to get to know your friends

Ok, Diane has tagged me (I knew I shouldn't have checked her blog again today...hee hee)
Alright, alright...for YOU...because you're my friend :-) Here goes:

Welcome to the Spring 2006 edition of getting to know your friends. The theory is that you will learn a lot of little things about your friends, if you did not know them already.

I'm pretty sure that I've done one of these within the past few months. But sometimes, a girl needs to humor her friends...LOL.

1. What time did you get up this morning? 9am
2. Missing question when this came to me. ;) me too!
3. What was the last film you saw? Armegeddon (It was on TV a few times last week. If you meant IN the theater, you should have been more specific). :) Diane, be NICE! Sheesh!
4. What is your favorite TV show? American Justice & The Backyardigans
5. What did you have for breakfast? Breakfast! I knew I'd forgotten to do something this morning.
6. What is your middle name? Monique
7. What is your favorite cuisine? Shrimp and/or pasta
8. What foods do you dislike? Beets...YUK! (I second that emotion!) But I also dislike onions, peppers, mushrooms and liver. I'm sure there's more, but with respect to time, I'll stop here.
9. What is your favorite chip flavor? KC Masterpiece BBQ
10. What is your favorite CD at the moment? I don't have a favorite at the moment.
11. What type of car do you drive? 2002 Nissan Quest
12. What is your favorite drink? Dr. Pepper & Sweet tea
13. What characteristics do you despise? Hatefulness and prejudice (actually, these are one in the same).
14. Favorite item of clothing? Whatever fits. But I love tank tops
15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? 1. Hawaii 2. Aruba
16. What inspires you? a. God b. My kids c. My husband d. Purple
17. Favorite saying? "How COOL is that?"
18. Where would you like to retire to? I'm already retired. But "place" wise, I'd have to say Hawaii.
19. Favorite time of the day? I'm pretty flexible. But I'm not much of a morning person. (however, I'm willing to learn) :-)
20. What was your most memorable birthday? My sweet 16.
21. Where were you born? Queens, NY
22. Favorite sport to watch? U12 & U6 soccer, Pro football & pro soccer (wow, how things change)
23. Who do you least expect to answer these questions? Diane. Who do you expect to answer first? Not sure.
25. What fabric detergent do you use? Cold water Tide
26. Coke or Pepsi? Dr. Pepper
27. Are you a morning person or a night owl? See #19
28. What is your shoe size? 9 1/2 or 10
29. Do you have any pets? A dog, 9 months old named Trae
30. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with your family and friends? I joined Curves and started working out today.
31. What did you want to be when you were little? A nurse, a teacher, a "stewardess", a mom (3 outta 4 ain't bad, huh?) :-)
32. Summer/Winter/Fall/Spring? Spring and Fall
33. Favorite color? Purple

********RIGHT NOW**********
Wearing? white tank top w/ purple lounging capri pants
Listening to? Radio (quiet storm on Kiss 104) and some cartoon on TV

*****THE LAST 24 HOURS**************
Met someone new? Kinda, but I don't know their names. They were at Curves this morning.
Cleaned your room? Does making up the bed count?
How many hours of sleep? 10

************DO YOU BELIEVE IN**************
God? Absolutely
Yourself? Sometimes
Your friends? Yes
Destiny/Fate? No
Ghosts? No

**********FRIENDS AND LIFE**********
Who have you known the longest of your friends? Dee Dee.
Who do you go to for advice? God, my husband and my friends (unfortunately, not always in this order)
Do you want your friends to answer these questions? Sure, that would be nice.
:-)
TAG - Adrienne, Veronica, Muriel, Tiffany, and anybody else who wants to :-).

Ok, Diane, I admit it...that was fun!

Ya gotta start somewhere...

Well, I did it! I finally got on the bandwagon with those trying to get fit and healthy.

Being honest, I haven't exercised in almost 5 years. Well, you know what I mean...like using exercise equipment and really working up a sweat. I've been a little leary of doing that since 2001, as the last time I worked out and started seeing real results, I got pregnant :-). So, as far as I was concerned, NOT working out was kinda like my birth control...HEE HEE!!!


Anyway, my friend Cheryl G. is a member at Curves and she gave my name as someone who might be interested in joining. I took the bait, made an appointment to check the place out and 30 minutes later, I'm a Curves member. I even signed a 1 year contract.

Well, today was my first real workout and I must say, I really enjoyed it. I'm gonna try really, really hard and stick with it. However, I can't go back on Wednesday like I'd planned...a girl's gotta get her hair done ya know! LOL

I'll try and keep ya'll posted on my progress. So if you would, keep me in your thoughts and wish me luck!!!

A day at the beach

Hello fellow bloggers. Hope everyone is having a nice weekend. Can't believe it's almost Monday already! Oh well...time to make plans for another week.

But in the meantime, I'd like to take a minute to share some recent pix of the kids. Last Thursday, a friend and fellow scrapbooker, asked several of us scrappers if we'd help her out with her new company. She's about to start a traveling portrait studio and wanted to get some pictures to start her portfolio and website. Well being that scrapbookers LOVE pictures, we were all over that idea!

So we all set up convenient times and got the kids dressed (alike/or similar of course) and headed over to Acworth Beach. We went early in the morning so the lighting was perfect. But it was hard to keep the kids out of the water until their sitting time came :-). Ever seen a bunch of mothers running around and yelling at junior (juniorette) to stay out of the water and not to throw sand? Trust me, it's a sight. Anyway, we made it to our shoot (clean & dry). We should get the pix back in about 2 weeks. However, since I knew we'd have to wait on the professional shots, I took a few of my own. I mean, I HAD to. The setting was perfect, the weather was GORGEOUS and the kids were still clean :-).

I'm no pro, but I think these pix came out pretty well. Enjoy!

Well, that's it for today. Thanks for looking.