American Girl Store

I just had the best evening ever! I have been so fortunate to have met a group of women that are truly amazing! As some of you know I have a soon to be 12 year old daughter with Cerebral Palsy. While at school she made a few friends. What is so incredible was that the moms of these other "Special" children WANTED friends for their daughters. So we started getting together for YOGA. Yes, that's right I said YOGA! We meet at one of the mom's homes and have a special YOGA instructor that teaches special needs kids. After YOGA is over it becomes a social event for the kids as well as the moms. WE talk about IEP's, challenges, husbands, and whatever else we can think of. We're kind of like "The View!" LOL IT has expanded beyond YOGA to baseball games, miniature golf, swim parties, and tonight we ventured downtown Chicago to the American Girl Store. WE are the group, let me tell ya. 7 moms with their 7 special needs daughters! WE attract quite the attention! But we have each other, our own support team. The girls shopped, we ate dinner, sang happy birthday to 3 of the girls, and had tons of laughs! Everyone came back to my house and opened presents. My daughter is fairly impaired, but when she is around her girlfriends she just glows! She giggles so much! Thanks for letting me share this sunny side of my life and hers....it means sooooo much!

Our Family Loves Frogs!!!!

Since I haven't scrapbooked anything for a week or so, I figured I'd post this page of my son from last summer while up in Michigan. He absolutely loves frogs! He can spend an entire day looking for them! This particular day he found one at the bottom of the stairs in the lower level living room (INSIDE the house!) As you can see it was a baby! He so lovingly, gingerly scooped up this baby frog and carefully placed it outside by the pond. He was so worried he was going to hurt it! I love to see that he has such a caring nature!

Thursday...Countdown to Easter!

Well, I know I said I was going to scrapbook, but....I made another card! This was a Lockheart Stamp. I think it was designed by Ellen Hutson! So pretty and delicate. I colored the dress in with my Prisma colored pencils and Gamsol. (Not sure I spelled that one correctly!) I used the stardust pen to add a little glitter. Of course I used that wonderful Basic Grey paper. The ribbon was from my step-mom, that came with our Easter baskets last week. OF course I couldn't let her or anyone else throw that pretty ribbon away! I just got Adobe Photoshop! Holy Cow! I don't know the first thing about how to use it! I went on some tutorial for a watermark.....VERY complicated! I really think I need Beth from Freckled Designs do mine for me. If you have any advice on how to do one please let me know! I attempted it on this card....I was getting very frustrated!!!!

Happy Monday!

Well, I made it through this hectic Monday. My kids made it to school, I finished my report cards and attendance, AND finished all my lesson plans for the week!!Yippee! I am taking Wednesday through Monday off to be home with my daughter. (She is off on Spring break and I am not...technically!) I am doing the happy dance!!! I'll have some time to make cards and scrapbook. Of course I AM having Easter and I guess I SHOULD grocery shop and plan what we are going to eat...AND iron my table cloth...AND clean my house....YIKES !!!

Here is another baby card for one of my pregnant sisters who truly believes she is having a boy. I think I better make one like this in pink too....

Spring Card & Thoughts on "blog candy"

It is 11:00 PM Sunday night and I should be going to bed, but my head is racing with all that I have to do the next few days! Overwhelming really. I teach 5th grade and have grades to do, report cards to finish and lesson plans to complete. So even though I am tired, I am wound up!! So instead of doing work I am tapping into my creative side (see how I justify NOT doing work? LOL!) and made a few cards. This was a spring card I played around with. I wasted some paper on this card because it took awhile until I was happy with the composition. That's what I seem to struggle with the most...composition. Please share your comments and thoughts about the "blog candy." It seems most bloggers offer this...which I like when I go on someone else's blog. I noticed Trudee is offering blog candy (Which by the way, I hope I win!)for celebrating her first week in the blogging world. Maybe I need to do this....could be fun! I'll have to give it some thought:) Let me know what ya think!