teachers convention - day 1

I love teachers convention - I get to reconnect with old friends and just hang out with some really nice people. today, I got to see Rabbi Shmuley who was TOTALLY AWSOME! I wish I had more time to tell all the stories, but I need to get the kids packed up...off to our small group tonight. more convention tomorrow!!

so tired

why are short weeks always so long? mmmm.

made some cards today...nate helped me, since the one card is for his little friend! enjoy!!

one of THOSE days

one of those crazy-deadline-sit-in-meetings-roll-your-eyes kind of days. the kind of day that gets 14g of fiber and 3 treats. the rough day on the non-plan. they do exist. I am so tired of being sick, and being tired, and cleaning the house. being tired always makes me want to eat junk. I need to get some sleep, and begin again [or not begin again!] tomorrow. lots of deadlines this upcoming week, so I think I'll be at school tomorrow doing report cards...one thing out of the way!

well THAT explains it!

yup. I should have seen a doctor on friday. before the long weekend of coughing hell. I honestly thought it would go away, like colds do. today I finally admitted that this was NOT your garden-variety cold. and the doctor agreed. it's bronchitis. the kind that likes to lead to pneumonia if you're not careful. thank goodness for drugs and prescription cough medicine with codeine. I am just waiting for it to kick in so that I can sleep in my bed for the first time in 5 days. poor john is just exhausted...not as exhausted as me, mind you!

anyways, I'm on the mend. all will be well again, in the fraser household!

new things!!!!

most of these are made with the new berry bliss paper...that I LOVE!!! and the others...well a sneak peak of what is coming in the new mini! [silver hardware & die cut blossoms!!]

how I hate

being sick. I don't get sick like this super often, so when it hits, it's nasty. and somehow, with all the coughing [the dry, hacking, can't catch your breath type] I've strained my neck. grrr. and this afternoon, in the middle of class, I had a strange eye thing happen...my pupils decided not to adjust to the sunlight. crazy huge pupils, causing that sort of eye thing you get after going to the eye doctor and getting "THE" drops. just not cool. I went home early, then felt okay. this whole cold thing is just getting stupid. I am holding off taking some more meds, since I'd like to take my next dose closer to bed time...because tonight I NEED, NEED, NEED to sleep!

as far as the non-plan goes...it is going well. a good week of moderate, happy, guilt-free eating. kinda crazy how less stressed I feel about the whole thing...no more sneaking food, fueling the "last supper" mentality. it's all good.

and although I am sitting at my desk, hoping to create some lovely things with some lovely new things, I am thinking that I should be thinking about bed.

a full day

well, I weighed myself this morning...down 2lbs [I'll do my measurements tonight and NOT post them!]. I am officially on my "I-have-no-real-plan-so-don't-ask-me-about-the-plan" plan. seriously. I am calling this one the non-plan. exercise as per the usual [as in, I'm training], make sure I get 25 grams of fiber per day, drink 2-3L of water, and eat one treat per day. I will do a weigh/measure again on easter monday. there is a lot of trust I have to have with myself in order to not have a plan. trust that my body will tell me when I am hungry and full. trust that my body will get healthier, knowing it will be fed. trust that I don't have to sabotage a plan, when we're on the non-plan. I'm strange. I know. off to class tonight, were I will pay someone money to torture my muscles. life is good.

40 days of lent

lent began this week. 5 weeks until easter.

I have a theme verse for this year: 'trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not, on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight". okay, so that is the cori version of the verse...the way I remember it. the new living translation says: trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. seek his will in all you do and he will direct your paths [proverbs 3:5-6]. I have been thinking a lot about how this impacts my life - how I think, live, speak, listen. and I have been thinking about it in regards to my diet/eating/food issues. I know God cares about this whole issue. so, how do I reconcile all of it? well something came to me today. I am still living my life as I was 10 years ago - a life of self-loathing, hatred, arrogance, selfishness. now, I know that I have turned away from that past life, yet I seem to wander in that desert of complaining, as did the israelites, thousands of years ago. I need to remember what I've come from, in order to get to where I am going. the where I'm going part has nothing to do with a number on a scale. I have been so obsessed with the "pseudo-goal" that I have once again neglected the true goal - my soul-health. I am still working this all out in my head...but I will keep you posted. [it's heading to a place of "in all things moderation"]. off to go walk 6.7k with my mom & joy. the training has really begun!

a mug of happiness

sometimes some peppermint schnapps, hot chocolate & whipped cream can make me happy! the kids have a drink too, just no schnapps...

new paper, new projects, and huge issues

the title says it all. grrr. got my berry bliss paper last night [I was invited to a neighbor's SU! party where I was NOT the demo, so I ordered a pack of paper at her show]. it is SOOOOOO lovely! I'll have to challenge myself to make something "perdy" with it tonight!

I am attaching some pics of projects I've done lately...thanks to felice, rae & I mass produced the "wild about you" version of the valentines for our kids. a sucker attaches to the back...a great idea and super easy to make [okay, so tying 40 ribbons was getting stupid..]. we really liked the glitter that felice had on her project, but we skipped it just to save time. we did use the dotted wheel on ours as well, only with versamark [so it doesn't show in this picture]. the little cello-bag-holder-thingy was a project we did at make & take night!













































and then there are my issues, witch are strongly attached to why I haven't blogged as of late. not too sure if I have the energy to reflect on my crappy eating week, all my own doing. there is no one to blame but myself. so, I will wallow today and pull my sh*t together tomorrow and all will be okay. maybe I will have some reflections on this tomorrow.

thankful thursday

it is thursday. I am thankful. this is all good.

although it's been CRAZY COLD, I am thankful that we made it through the -40ish pieces in one shape. monday was nuts with one car not working, but really...it's all good. I got tons done at school, since there's yet to be a day with full classes, that too was a big blessing. I feel like I am finally on my game, and not behind it. so, cold weather...can be a happy thing.

and the weight thing. walking this week has sucked [yeah, not doing it in THIS weather!], but the eating hasn't been too bad. well, other than the HUNK of chocolate cake I just ate. I lost 1 pound this week, so I am at a -4. this is good. this is really good. I have some pics to post...those will come tomorrow, since I'm SOOOOOO tired!

-46 degrees

is officially cold. it's never been that cold here, in my lifetime. that's -50 degrees F. wow. and when it's THIS cold, it's all we talk about. I only had 3 kids in my class show up today, john's car refused to start, I unintentionally parked my car in 2 feet of powder, I needed 4 jr high students & 2 teachers to get me out of the snow drift, it took me close to an hour to get home...fun!

I have a make & take tomorrow night - and tomorrow is suppose to be colder than today. extra fun!

but for tonight, the cars are plugged in, and my plan B is in place. and I am EXHAUSTED!

so, on this super cold january night, I have but 2 words for you: keep warm!

some times a stiff drink

makes things a bit better. especially when the drink is a lovely chocolate martini. sometimes I feel like I take on the weight of the world. in doing that, I lose myself. in losing myself, I am no good to anyone. things have been better since wednesday, especially with my eating. things aren't perfect, but the time to give up is NOT when things get rough. I just can't deal with failure. I just don't want to fail yet again. not an option this time. and in light of all things good and special, my issues are small. I have a saviour. a God who cares even about my measly little things. a creator who sees past all my issues. a strength and a joy that comes from a place that is bigger than me. and although it's not "thankful thursday" [hehehe!!], today I am just thankful that I am who I am. it's all good [I said good, not perfect...that's still a ways away!].

a crazy couple of days

something is up with me. my head doesn't feel right. my body is out of sinc. I am so crazy tired. ALL OF THE FLIPPIN' TIME! and I am NOT pregnant. so don't even go there. I actually had john hide EVERY stinkin' piece of chocolate while I was out tonight. mainly, because with the way I'm feeling, I could sit in the closet and eat every last piece.

grrr. if you can figure out my issues, let me know!

well, I figure I am going to beat down this nastiness. I went to exercise class twice this week...mainly because I weighed myself on tuesday and NOTHING [oh, and my lovely husband nearly kicked me out of the house when he heard that I was wanting to skip class]. I am SO discouraged. then, at my class some random lady asked me if I had lost weight. I could have kissed her! so, I worked harder than I ever have worked before and my ass hurts more than anything. I am going get this nasty food addiction under control and I am going to beat my sorry ass into shape because I DESERVE IT. however, I cannot do it alone. I am so tired of battling this bad-mind-self-talk-crazy-crap. can I go upstairs and crawl into my bed and start fresh tomorrow?? NO...because we are watching FNL again!

all things good

we added a new puppy to our house...sam. he is SOOOOOOO cute & nate is totally smitten! he is steph's dog, but we are quite happy to have him around! also, tonight is ty's first night in a bed. the crib is gone...hope it all goes well! I am thinking that my bed is feeling like it is calling me...it's been a LONG day!




















oh, and if you want to be in ribbon club...let me know. $13 will get you this sweet baby!! [1 yard of each of the taffeta ribbons and 1 yard of each of the stripped grosgrain ribbons...and the cool jar!] let me know if you want one and if you live in town, shipping does not exist!! LOL



have a great evening everyone!

some 3x3s

forgot about this

a list of retired sets I still have available...I think the link is on the right, but I will put it here anyways!

retired sets

hope everyone is having a good weekend - because I have spent all day cleaning my house and watching FNL! I wonder if I can eek out a card tonight...

wild about you!

just some cards to show...[and really, everything else made for a good day, although I am ready to drop from exhaustion!!] I LOVE the new SU! felt flowers!

+/-

okay, so I shouldn't be so scared all the time. today I was +/-0. gained nothing, lost nothing. considering the crap I ate last week, this is ALL good.

today has been better. life is good. oh, and new cards to post - LOVE the new SU! felt flowers!!! will post again later!

simple card

a simple birthday card [made it for my dad for his birthday in a mere 10 minutes]. tomorrow is weigh in day and I am totally stressed about it, since this week has been AWFUL. has it been pre-christmas awful? no, but still awful. I totally did not stick to my program. I did walk this weekend though - 3k on saturday and almost 5k on sunday. I'll report back tomorrow.