New Class!

This is for a new class I am teaching at Combat Creations. Check out the website and sign up today! It's called the MIU Album Tin. It is entirely Memories in Uniform and I am using this as Mark's deployment album of all of the pictures he's taken since he's been in Iraq. The really small pictures are the index prints you can get printed. I love it because you can get a lot of pictures on one page.There are several more pages in the accordion but I only shared a few. I also plan on putting his welcome home photo on the front of the tin right below the star and journal the dates he left to the day he came home on the tan tag lines. I can miss him can you tell!

Meet the World's Best Kids!

We had a busy weekend, relaxing, but we got a lot done. ALL of our Christmas shopping is done! It feels great! I'll be sending out packages this week. Now I can relax and float through the holidays... yeah right! Many of you will get these in your Christmas cards but I just couldn't wait to share them. I am so proud of our kids. The first picture is in the same pose the kids did last time Mark was deployed to Iraq. This year the boys are wearing their Webelos uniform (Cub Scouts) and Katie is wearing her Cheer America All Star uniform.

Mark and I cannot believe that these amazing kids are OURS!!

Caleb, Seth & Katie

Thanksgiving with friends and family

I can't believe that Thanksgiving has come and gone. It went by so fast, I think because it was so relaxing. We cooked a simple traditional dinner, and we had some great friends over. It was so relaxing and I think we all took a nap (okay the kids didn't but we the adults sure did) next to the cozy fire. Our prayer for you all was to have a safe, relaxing and joyous Thanksgiving weekend, we sure hope you did!

My Beautiful Room...

Here it is... it's about 90% finished. I need to sit down and go shelf by shelf making them pretty, but they are organized. I've got a military only shelf, shelves of just embellishments, alterables, photographs, and some with just pretty things. I love it, it's simple and functional. Just what I always wanted. Here are some during and after photos. And yes, the shredder exploded on me! Mark never put a bag in it, so i had to dump it in a bag. It didn't make it all the way, can you tell. I can't decide on the curtains, that is why you only see one in the pix. Still contemplating that one. BTW: the pictures don't do it justice! It's soooooo pretty!

"But I never heard that word before!"

Before my big unveiling of my "studio" I have to share with you something that happened at school today. Apparently the school office called me twice and I didn't answer or return their calls. In my defense our home phone isn't working right (the digital phone router is not cooperating with me right now), but they also never called on my cell phone! So I it can't be that serious right... wrong! This story is so innocent, but so serious in the eyes of the school.

Let's set the stage... the kids are at lunch in a very over crowded cafeteria! Another boy in Caleb and Seth's class (who by the way isn't a really nice kid!) asked Caleb if he could sound out SH---IT. The boy said it really show... like SH............IT! Caleb plainly said "it's like this ...shit". The teacher flipped a lid, and the class all went "OHHHHHHHH". Caleb and Seth had no idea what was going on... straight to the office with you Caleb. He's panicked he had no idea what was happening. He was reprimanded, and he said "Mrs. Frisbee, I never heard that word before I didn't know it was a bad word! Seriously, Mrs. Frisbee I didn't". That didn't get very far. The teacher nor the assistant principal could believe that a 4Th grader had never heard that word before and they should certainly know it was a bad word. They continued not to believe him. He had to rewrite his behavior contract that all students have to sign at the beginning of the year, and he had to apologize to the class. Of course I heard all about this when I picked the kids up, before I got out of the school drive-thru pick-up I parked and we went back to talk to the teacher. She seriously couldn't believe that the boys had never heard that word before. I replied "Mark and I do not use that kind of language neither do most of the people we associate with, so it's no doubt he's never heard it. We don't even watch movies with language like that." She was shocked, still not believing it. I assured her again. Now that I've had time to reflect on the situation I should have asked his teacher to apologize to Caleb for not believing what he had said. So the lesson today parents is to teach your kids bad words and then teach them not to use them or say them because they will get in trouble for not knowing them... interesting isn't it?!

What are those flags? What do they mean?

I know I am supposed to be "doing my green room". I will, I plan on working on that today.

But I wanted to share with you about Service Star Flags, many of you know what I am talking about. The Service Star Flags were designed in Ohio in 1917 by an Army Col. to honor his 2 sons fighting in WWI. The function of the flag was to let the community know who was directly affected by the war in their small towns. It allowed community members to help, aid and support those families who were often without their husbands, fathers and sons for months or years at a time. The flags were hung in the front right window of the home of families where the service member lives. These Flags have served as a reminder to us as Nation to the sacrifice and commitment made by members of the Armed Forces and their families.
Today as we remain steadfast in our nations commitment to Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom many more homes are displaying the Service Flags. Let us remember why those flags are there, those men and women overseas need our help and support but so do the families left behind. Reach out and see what these families might need, it's usually something easy or simple that doesn't take much time or money...maybe they need their lawn mowed, bushes trimmed, a meal that doesn't consist of a dog, tot, or sandwich in it. Maybe they'd like the Cheerios vacuumed out from underneath the car seat, their sidewalk shoveled, time to go grocery shopping alone, or maybe they just need dinner at a friends house. Don't just offer, insist with no strings attached. Military families don't ask for help, and they don't go looking for it, but sometimes we just need it and it' too hard to ask for it.

My D-Day... decision day

I've been inspired rather challenged to resuscitate my creative side and dig deep into my spirit and live again. Design, create and make a mess. It's been a long time since I've really made things for me, to just experiment and enjoy the pretty papers, stamps, and stickers that surround me in boxes and bags. So today, I have decided I am going to start again. I am going to finish my "studio/office", it's my green room. I want it to be my place to unwind, inspire and express who I am. Below are pictures of my office as it now... it completely stresses me out. I find no peace in here. I am a woman of order, of a schedule, a need to know the plan kind of woman. I do not thrive on chaos; this room is chaos! Right now, I find nothing breath taking about coming into this room (accept the emails that I get from my husband, in case you didn't know he's in Iraq right now!). But that will all change, I will get it done, I will make it pretty, functional, and above all beautiful. I ask all of you to hold me accountable. My goal date to finish this is Saturday morning, 11/22/08. I say Saturday just in case I work on it after midnight on Friday! I can't wait to show you the final product... and pray nothing "SHINY" comes along to distract me! (One more quick thing: that is my dog she has a very hurt leg so the collar is to prevent her from itching it, she's pitiful isn't she.)

It's Snowing, It's Snowing!

We had a blizzard here in Jacksonville, NC today. It was fierce just look at the photos. The reality is it only lasted about 3 minutes. You have to act quick to catch photos in our snow storms... That's right Ohio be jealous, you might have 2 feet of snow, but we at least got some!

My First Official Blog...

Mark's been on me to start one of these. I don't know how often I can get on and update you on life. my projects or all the chaos that often surrounds it. So check back periodically and see what's new!