Re-Entry's A B!tch!

Yep! 

I'm a slacker when it comes to BLOGGING in 2013!

Not only have I been busy with Origami Owl, but I have also been really busy with OTHER stuff!

I planned another Skyline Retreat for March 2013.  

Probably my WORST weekend - ever - happened that weekend while I was up at Camp Skyline in Mentone, Alabama.  

Now, prior to Skyline, my friend Marcy came to visit and hang with me and that was a BLAST!!!  She is awesome!  I always enjoy spending time with Marcy!  On Wednesday, we drove up to Marta's for our regular overnight, which was also pretty fantastic.  I always sleep so well at Marta's house.  I am not quite sure why.

Now, we get to the B.A.D. part......
I need to explain why the weekend was the WORST.WEEKEND.EVER!
Now, planning this retreat is hard enough because there were 38 women all wanting different things.  Who can please 38 women?  Surely, NOT ME! But, I try my best and they appreciate it (for the most part).  So, when you add a night of no sleep to the mix (yep - Thursday night, I was awake all night with my good friend, Sharon and some serious tummy issues - on my part) and then add in a LONG Friday with still no sleep.  We got the group shot though.....

When I finally get back to the cabin to take a much-needed nap before dinner, a phone call from the Hubby in GA. I called back and Nathan answered the phone "Hi Mum!  Sophie's puking all over your room!  It's really gross!"  (Gotta love an 8 year old who tells you everything.)

I finally get to talk to Ben and he called to see where I keep the carpet shampoo.
Now, hubby isn't the one that deals with the kids being sick (for the most part) and calling doctors and such.  That is a Mummy duty.
Well, I start to worry and freak out a bit because all I can think of is Sophie puking all over the house.  I mean ALL.OVER.THE.HOUSE.

My panic kicked in and "Mama Bear" bear came out!!!

I went into "over-drive" and started to blurt out every little piece of advice for Ben and he took it and said that he would figure it out.  I will tell you right now, I was really worried about what the house would look like when I got home and who else would be sick by the time I got home! 

I had called the doctor to see about getting some anti-nausea meds for her and he called them in.  Friends, who I thought would help, didn't come through for me and one stay-at-home-dad, that I know in our neighbourhood, came through for me and went to Publix to get the meds for Ben.
I was then escorted to bed by Marta (who was afraid that I would take my car keys and drive after being awake for more than 40 hours at that point).  

I truly think she saved my life that night and all I did was yell at her to "give me my F'n car keys!"  (Sorry for yelling at you Marta!  LOVE YOU!)  

You see, when "mama bear" comes out, you aren't rational, you can't think clearly, you lose your temper and say things you don't necessarily mean in anger and you just want to be there for your kidlet.  Well, I was embarrassed too.  Being escorted to my bed like a child?  What the hell!  I am a grown woman!
ANYWAY........

To make a long story short, Daddy came through for Sophie and my respect and love for this man has grown.  On top of that, my friend Marta, rose to the occasion, stared "Mama Bear" in the face and didn't care that I was yelling at her. She knew I would be okay in the morning after a good night's sleep. 

I have a good friend who loves me!  

Ben is a great father to my children!  

I am blessed

So, it was the weekend from HELL!!! 

I got through it.

Sophie made it through her first time throwing up.

Marta is still "my person" and I love her.  

My respect and love for Ben has grown exponentially after dealing with this.

Nathan stayed healthy.

Ben stayed healthy.

I did come home completely exhausted, 

but that is the case whenever I come home from a retreat.

Isn't it funny how, after all of that, I can see the blessings?  

Amazing.

Scrapbookers, while on retreats and afterwards, joke and say that "Re-entry's A Bitch".  

Only this time, it definitely was!!!

Until Next time, 

SCRAP ON!

~Cyn~

30 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 23

I am thankful for a loving husband, who knows me really well. 

He knows how important photographs and taking yearly family portraits are to me.

He understands that as the day is ending, I am cranky and out-of-sorts. He takes the kids for a bit to let me unwind and do what I have to do to get dinner ready and gets the kidlets ready for bed.  

He also understands that as my surgery date gets closer, I am becoming more anxious and stressed.  I am sure that I am driving him crazy with my constant talk about the surgery and the constant "what if...." scenarios.  But, he lovingly hugs me to reassure me that everything will be fine.

He is taking time off of work to take care of me after surgery and taking care of our kidlets.  

I love this man!  I am VERY thankful that he is all mine!  

Until Next Time,

SCRAP ON!

~Cyn~

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 14

Today, I am thankful for CAT...aka Caterpillar. 

(photo found via Google Image search - CNN Money)

My husband has worked for Caterpillar for going on 3 years.  

They have been a good employer to work for and Ben is happy.

It is important for Ben to like his job.  If he isn't happy in his work-life, 

it bleeds into our family life, which makes for a stressful situation.

So, I am very thankful that Ben enjoys working with the people he works with and for the company he works for.

THANKS CAT!

Until Next Time,

SCRAP ON!

~Cyn~

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 5

I am thankful for TIM HORTON'S COFFEE. 

(google images provided the pics for this post) 

Ben makes the coffee when he gets up at 5am. 

It is still perfectly good when I get up at 6am. 

Thanks for my coffee this morning, honey!!
It was yummy!

Until Next Time,

SCRAP ON!
~Cyn~

30 Days of Thankfulness : Day 1

 I am thankful that my husband got home today after traveling for work.

I missed him and so did our kidlets!
Ben is an active part in our children's lives and they adore him.
Ben is the provider for our family and I am proud to call him my husband and best friend.  

He has so many qualities that I adore and love, but also some that frustrate me to no end.  

But I love him anyway!

He can tell when I have had a rough day, he is there to listen to me complain about stuff and sometimes provides a solution for my complaints.  

Other times, he just listens thoughtfully and gives me a hug.  

I am blessed and THANKFUL that he is my husband, lover and friend.  

I am even more THANKFUL that he is my children's amazing daddy!

I love you Ben!

Until Next Time,

SCRAP ON!
~Cyn~

Sweet....

Today a knock came at the door while the kidlets were napping.
The dogs went ballistic and barked until the kidlets were wide awake!
Anyway......

I answered the door to find a kid holding a bunch of flowers.

I thought for sure he had the wrong address, when I noticed my name on the card.  

My husband sent me flowers for my 37th Birthday (which is on Sunday).  

How SWEET!  

When I called Ben at work to thank him for the lovely arrangement, 

he told me that they weren't supposed to deliver them until Saturday.  

Oh well....they are here now!  :)

Thanks honey!

I love them and I love YOU!

Until Next Time,

SCRAP ON!

~Cyn~

Last Week of School....

As room mom, I have a lot to do this week.  So, posts here on the blog will either be automated or not done at all. Not only do I have stuff to do for Nathan's class, but I also have things I want and need to get done BEFORE the summer starts.  
I have a garage that has stuff in it that we didn't even touch in Warner Robins and will need to be thrown out.  So, the thought was to get it done before Nathan gets out of school to allow me to run what we want thrown out to the landfill.  
Jessica is having SCRAP NIGHT at her place for the first time this month on Thursday night.  I am definitely going because I have a lot of sample layouts to do for the Feeling Scrappy Sketchapalooza Class that starts June 4th.  I am really looking forward to that class.
Also, putting together a summer activities calendar for the next two months so that we know what we are doing and when we are doing it.  I have bought a bunch of books that Nathan is not allowed to touch until AFTER he finished school on Friday.  Here is the pile, along with a Math Game for his DS.  I want to keep him reading and learning over the summer.  

 

Another thing I have done in preparation for the summer: I purchased the movie passes for the summer for each of us.  They show one movie a week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings at 9:30.  It was $5 per person for the entire summer.  So, I know that will be one activity that we have for one day a week.  It is for children, so if Sophie doesn't sit through the entire movie, she can play in the aisle.  I have been told that it is okay, so that covers one activity for the kids and I to do.

We have Zoo Atlanta memberships to use for the year and also Georgia Aquarium memberships.  On the really, really hot days, we will head to the Aquarium.  There are also other museums that I want to check out as well.  But this schedule of activities needs to get done before Nathan is out of school for the summer!
Nathan also got a free ticket to 6 Flags Over Georgia for reading this year and he wants Ben to take him up there for the day.  I am totally okay with that and I think it would be awesome for the two of them to have a Nathan/Daddy Day.  Ben just has to remember his camera!  ;)Oh and did I mention that I will be joining LA FITNESS on June 1st?  Yep!  That is the plan, Stan!  I have been really missing working out, teaching aerobics and personal training.  So, after talking with a few people and checking out the gyms in the area, I have decided that LA Fitness is where I need to join.  Luckily, they have child care available AND it is not a contract, so if I don't like it as much as I think I will, I can cancel at any time.  I love that!  I also think that by having activities and working out, my SANITY will be intact at the end of the summer!  HA!  I love my kidlets but Sophie has begun that whole terrible twos/threes thing with the temper tantrums and such.  Not a fun thing to deal with.  ARGH!  So, working out should help with stress management (OR at least I hope it does) and weight loss too!  Woot!  Woot!
So, that is the update for now. I have GOT to get to work! Catch ya on the flipside!
Until Next Time,
SCRAP ON!
~Cyn~  

Diary of 5 - Week 12

Thursday March 22, 2012

I am seeing...the school picture for Nathan on my desk that actually looks decent for once (yay Nathan!!!), the photos that I am laying out for a gift album I am doing and my stuff still not totally unpacked from Skyline lying around my scraploft. 

I am hearing...the hum of the dishwasher, babbling of Sophie as she reads her books to herself (in her own little language) and a little music coming from the iPod player.
  

I am smelling...the vanilla perfume I put on this morning mixed with the shampoo I used in the shower.  Interesting smells when combined!

I tasted...Tim Horton's coffee this morning and I even made Cinnamon rolls!
 

I am feeling....a little worn out.  Skyline was this past weekend and I haven't fully recovered from the sleepless nights at the retreat. 




Tonight will be an early night for me since Ben is still in Michigan on his training course. We FACETIME every night so that Sophie can see her daddy....she misses him so much! He gets home tomorrow.  

If you want to participate in Diary of 5, go here:
http://diaryof5.blogspot.com/

Until next time,
SCRAP ON!

~Cyn~

Single Mummy Week....

It's just me and the kidlets for the week while Ben is up in Michigan for training.  Not a lot planned for the week but to survive it. I think the big thing this week will be to get Sophie through it. She will miss her Daddy and when she misses him, she gets whiny.  So, we will see how the week goes.
  

Nathan goes back to school tomorrow and it'll just be me and Sophie-girl.  


Another plan for the week is: working through a pile of photos to get them ready for the Skyline Retreat. The plan is to put them into a power layout with the paper and any embellishments and title ideas.  That way, once I get up to Skyline, I will be able to get set up and knock out some major layouts! 


As for this week, I have some EASY meals planned this week since it is just me and the kids.  


Tuesday night, my friend Marta will be coming down for a visit. It will be great to be able to hang with her for a little while.  

Maybe Sophie will feel well enough to have the gals over for coffee sometime this week.  Who knows, right?

Other than that, it is just me and the kidlets.


Ben arrives home late Thursday night.  Friday, he is off work. I plan to take him to the Preschool that I have registered Sophie for August 2012.  I think if he is going to be "on board" with this, he needs to see for himself what the school is like and see how comfortable she is there. 


Well, I hear NOTHING coming from the front playroom, so I better get down there to check on the kidlets. You know when it is quiet, you have to go looking for them!  


If you pray, pray for me.  Don't pray for patience though, I don't want any extra trials where I will need more patience.  Ha!


Until next time,
Scrap On!
~Cyn~  

February 26th

Nathan and I went out today on a "date"....no Daddy, no Sophie.....just US. It was fun too.

We went to Kohls to get me some new running shoes (wheels) and while we were there, we found Darth Maul, (a Star Wars figurine that Nathan so badly wanted). So he pulled out his wallet and gave me the money for it and was so proud to hand over the $10, it was adorable.
Then we went to a few other stores and bought some much needed items. The whole time, he kept putting his hand on mine and telling me "this is nice". What a sweet boy...
Afterwards, we went home and picked up Daddy and Sophie. I ordered a pizza and we went for a picnic at the park...picnic blanket and all. Several kids passed us with their parents and I overheard them say "I want to do a picnic too mom" or a mom saying to a dad "great idea for the family, a picnic and then the kids can play....." Nathan spent time on his bike and Daddy got to see how much Sophie likes the park (especially the slide)....... I think we got it right this time! ;) Who knew that a simple little thing like a picnic at the park would make both Sophie and Nathan happy?!?!
~Cyn~

Day 39 of 365

This is us.....Day 39 of this project and I am still hanging on.....
I have even taken photos of "routine" stuff, just in case my camera battery dies or I forget it at home when I should have it with me.

Not a bad photo for the "straight arm, quick smile" kind of picture! I am even in my robe and I don't look terrible!
Until tomorrow,
~Cyn~

Lunch with Daddy at Moe's....Day 26

Sophie and I met daddy for lunch at my new favourite fast food place......Moe's Southwest Grill....

Marcy got me hooked and now I can't get enough! I am not really sure that it is fast food, but it really isn't a sit-down restaurant either. It was Ben's first trip there and he said it was pretty good when he got home after work tonight.

I love the fajitas and Ben had the chicken club quesadilla. Sophie ate off my plate and man was it ever good food! Ben doesn't usually take time for lunch out and usually eats at his desk in 10 minutes. So it was a nice change for him. He had to stay late tonight at work and I am really glad he had a hearty meal for lunch. He said he was glad he went out too.
~Cyn~

Day 20

Molson and Daddy all cuddled up together.....had to grab the camera before Molson moved!

Sleep well my boys!!!!

~Cyn~

365: Handsome Man O' Mine....

Even if he IS gaming, he always has that handsome smile for me. I love this man! He is a fantastic father and an even better husband. The things I love about this man are endless and I can't picture my life without him. Ben has this steady, confident calmness about him and I love that. He is also the exact opposite of me and balances me out.
He is amazing....simply amazing.

I love you so much Ben...Always and Forever.
Until next time....Keep Scrappin'!

~Cyn~

Family Time....

Ben and I were talking in bed last night and he was surprised by what I had to say:

I told him that I was content with our life.....

Why is that so surprising?

This weekend, we spent sitting at home and chill'axin the weekend away. Took naps when we wanted, ate when we were hungry, played when we wanted......what's not to like? We have a pool in the backyard (which is kinda green right now, but can be fixed by a yellow jug of chlorine put in it and the filter running for a little while) that we can play in, books to read alone or together, we have a wii to play games on as a family, we have cards and board games sitting on the baker's rack in the kitchen that we can play at a moment's notice. We have food in the pantry and fridge and I have three of the most important people in my life right there in the same house....... Of course I am content.....who wouldn't be?????

*8 Things Thursday

What is your list of *8People to Play With?

1. My children


2. My Husband


3. Stacy Julian


4. Ellen DeGeneres - this woman makes me laugh every day at 5pm on her show!


5. Cathy Zielske - her Design Your Life class at Big Picture Scrapbooking is fabulous!


6. My SKYLINE Sisters


7. Marta


8. My ScrapShare Sisters
   

Friday Fill-Ins #128

1. I grew up thinking that I was never going to get married or have children! In September I will have been married for 10 years and already have one child and another on the way!

2. Google Reader was the last website I was at before coming here.

3. Why don't you want to come window shopping with me for baby stuff?

4. Scrapbooking, reading or taking a bubble bath helps me relax.

5. Thanks for the sunny day and the fresh fruit in my belly.

6. Certain smells while pregnant are very off-putting.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to playing Candy Land with Nathan and doing laundry, tomorrow my plans include helping Ben finish installing the laminate floor in the baby's bedroom, going through the baby clothes in the garage and washing them, swimming in the pool and hopefully taking a drive into Macon to Burlington Coat Factory and Sunday, I want to relax and maybe spend some time in the pool out back!

Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho...it's OFFLINE I Go!

Don't you just love google images? I got this from there!

I am going offline tomorrow for a couple of days. You may not hear from me or even see me online. I will be spending today (Thursday) with Ben and Nathan before heading off to Alabama on Friday to a Retreat.

I.NEED.THIS.

Surprisingly, I wasn't planning to attend this one. I had sent my money in August last year and was seriously considering not going and getting my money back. Afterall, my retreat is at the end of this month - 3 weeks from now to be exact - and I could have waited. But, I am kind of glad that I am going now. Ben will appreciate me more. Nathan will have a chance to miss me. It will be good for them and especially good for me too!

I haven't packed much and I don't plan to pack much. 1 Paper pod and some plain cardstock should be fine for the weekend. My pictures are in my new American Crafts Binder with my photos in chronological order waiting to be scrapped and I just plan to take that binder off the shelf and put it in the car! I will have my laptop to keep organizing my photos when I have a "mojo problem". But I don't really plan to be taking a whole lot of stuff with me!

I am off to try to get some sleep now, which has not been happening much lately with Ben on midnight shift. I guess I can always snuggle up when he gets home and we drop Nathan off to school.
So, until I get back from Alabama and unpacked.....I am OFFLINE starting NOW..................................

Midnight Shift

So, Ben called me on Monday to tell me that the Plant Manager and the Assistant Plant Manager pulled him into the office to tell him that they need him to work on the Midnight/Third Shift. They said that they have some TILE orders and need a "white hat" on to supervise. So, since Ben is a "white hat" or manager, they decided to ask him.
So, as of Sunday at 10:15pm, he will be heading into work for the night shift and I will be ALL ALONE in our big king-sized bed! Can you tell how excited I am about this? I told Ben I may have to get Nathan in our bed so that I don't get freaked out or something.
I don't like it one bit. I hate the fact that he will have worked all night and they expect him to DRIVE HOME - 40 minutes - after working all night. It is DANGEROUS!

On top of that, NATHAN is out of school ALL NEXT WEEK!!! How the heck will I keep him Quiet all day long while Daddy sleeps? I will be planning our mornings out of the house that is for sure! Poor Ben....he is going to be the guy in the picture up there!!!
I am NOT IMPRESSED!!! (can you hear me stomping my feet?)

Friday Fill-Ins - Feb. 13.....

1. It seems like there are never enough hours in the day!
2. Pour me a cup of Tim Horton's Coffee when you're done, please?
3. If I thought you would be okay with it, I'd book my flight to Lee's place in Cape Cod right now!
4. Our life together is what I think of most when I think of you. (Ben)
5. To me, Valentine's Day means we get to have our annual Valentine's dinner of Grilled Cheese sandwiches and Tomato soup in our pajamas and then when Nathan goes to bed....so do we!!!!
6. Ben's LOVE gives me strength.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching Nights in Rodanthe with Ben after Nathan goes to bed, tomorrow my plans include doing housework and hanging out with Ben and Nathan, scrapbooking a bit and doing laundry and Sunday, I want to head to church, hang out with Ben and Nathan and dread Ben going into work for the midnight shift at 10:15pm....I am so not a happy camper about it either!!