Food Intolerances

Life can be interesting when you have eaten like everyone else. Birthday celebrations, Friday evening  pizza and beer, Thanksgiving and Christmas goodies that you look forward to. When I was diagnosed with food intolerances to gluten, Ceasen protein meaning all dairy, eggs both whites and yolks and garlic I was floored.
Goodbye pizza and beer
Goodbye cake and ice cream
Goodbye cheese omelette
Goodbye cheese burger
Goodbye grinders (subs)
Goodbye yogurt
Goodbye pies at Thanksgiving along with dressing
Goodbye cheese curds and funnel cakes at the fair.

What happens when I eat this stuff? PAIN and running to the bathroom as my body tries to get rid of its contents. This can last a few hours or a couple of days. How frustrating and sometimes you just don't make it to the bathroom in time. It's a damn that you have no control over!

My blog is a blog of creating and making pretty things and also about every day life filled with trials or family fun or working in my studio. It's filled with life and the ups and downs. So in addition to all these things, I am going to share new recipes for treating myself right and also about getting in shape. Yes I HATE exercise BUT I've got to do it! I have a goal to decide on and reach it. Along with God's help to stay away from things that KILL me and hold me hostage to foods of the past, diabetes, and getting in shape to having time to create in my studio will be goals worthwhile to obtain.

I am also a Fun Stampers Journey Coach. www.funstampersjourney.com/lisascanlon to check out my website of making cards. This company is new and fantastic! So join along for the ride and the changes and new direction that we can make and soar into the future being balanced and healthy!

I'm back!

Hello, I'm back! It's been a crazy couple years. Health issues and trying to not be overwhelmed by life! Things are changing! I went on a Teresa Collins Cruise and have also been to Vegas with her events. I'm working in my Daycare business which keeps me busy. I will be up to 14 grandchildren by next month. One of my daughters had TWIN SONS six months ago. Working on diabetes, food allergies/ food intolerance to: gluten, eggs whites and yolks, all dairy and garlic. With the help of my husband I cleaned my creative studio!I then signed up to be  a Fun Stampers Journey Coach in January. So I plan on making more memories with friends, teaching classes and blooming as I head into retirement!

Heidi Swapp Free On Line memory Folder Class

http://www.mycraftchannel.com/Shows/Create-to-Remember-with-Heidi-Swapp/Heidi-Swapp-Free-Online-Memory-File-Class/

I am so excited about getting this class underway!

Gratitude~Free PDF from Teresa Collins

Yet be inspired again by Teresa Collins and watch this video! Happy Thanksgiving!


http://www.mycraftchannel.com/shows/Teresa-Collins-Designs-Show/Teresa-Collins-Gratitude-Book-with-Free-PDF/


 http://teresacollins.typepad.com/teresa_collins/2013/11/thankful-free-download-.html

Always a Work In Progress

I am always inspired to watch and see what other ladies are doing for their craft rooms. I love my craft room and the large space that I have to work. It is what it is and it is cramped and full of goodies to work with. What do I mean by that? I have Sizzix dies and the Big Shot, Quickutz dies, embossing folder with a Vagabon and the Purse embosser, Cricut Machine and about 100 cartridges, Stampin Up inks and stamps, CTMH stamps, flowers, buttons, paints, eyelets, ribbon, Magazines, paper, albums from my Creative Memories Business, adhesives, pens, punches, border punch system, and of course my Twilight Barbie collection, games, and music. I have been turning it into a little shabby comfy beautiful room. IT'S USED BY MANY! Ladies love to come and see it and too use it. It's a cozy cramped room to chat, to work and to make projects and to learn many things. Here is a crafters room that I wanted to share. It is what I achieve to have mine look like in the near future.

This is usually what my desk looks like when I am working on a project. 

I got this Blue garden box at a cute little store in town. I just loved how I could put my pens, and extra stuff I need and use at my finger tips.

I love BLING! Pink, Crystals, and interesting things to bring life to my space.

Home made journals, the mirrors, and a journal box add spice to a little area.

This is the storage inside this box. It is plentiful!

Books that are my "go to" constantly are in a crate at fingers tip reach. Sorting RIBBON!

Ribbon makes great accents for cards and pages and tags.

Just little things can add life to your space. I found the green dresser and will update the color and I am storing my stamps sets and cartridges in the drawers right now. What color should I do?

Here is a video of someone elses organization methods for her scrap room. Some I just may steal!

http://nicholmagouirk.typepad.com/things_that_really_matter/2010/09/my-craft-studio-in-photos-and-video.html

Fall and Winter 2013 Projects

Fall and Winter projects.

I think this will be one of the things I do this fall. I am so excited for this project! I even met Heidi at Scrapfest and took her BELIEVE Class.

Here is the BELIEVE CLASS that I took!

http://www.mycraftchannel.com/Shows/Create-to-Remember-with-Heidi-Swapp/Heidi-Swapp-Believe/

http://www.mycraftchannel.com/shows/Create-to-Remember-with-Heidi-Swapp/Heidi-Swapp-Storage-Envelope-Album/

What are you going to work on? This last part of the year I am FAITHFULLY working on my trip to PROVO, UT for Creating Keepsakes University. I am about 1/2 of the way there and set aside Tuesday and Thursday Evenings to work with making "Pretty Things" as Heidi puts it. If you want to join me...the door is OPEN.

My defintion of REVOLUTION

LISA'S DEFINTION for REVOLUTION

 A sudden, radical, or complete change!  Means it's happening! Now!

SUDDEN             RADICAL          COMPLETE           CHANGE

unexpectedly        exreme person      having all                  make or become different

happening            changes                 neccessary parts        transform

                                                           make whole              makeover

                                                                                             remodeling

Giving up things that God didn't make for my body.

I'm starting at 216.6#'s and it's not from being a glutten that I have this weight. My body wasn't getting and retaining the nutrition it needed for al these years from the allergies. My sister-in-law said to me once; "You should be as skinny as a twig for how much you go to the bathroom!" "Here have some of this that I made!" She is agret cook and cooks at home. Nothing proccessed at all.

The only resturant that I can really eat at is Chipotle when I go out. No breads on a hamburger, I can have fries if I really need those carbs with a protien and then salads at Wendy's without the cheese.

I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO MY MAKEOVER AND TRANSFORMATION!!!! NEW CLOTHES, NEW SHOES, NEW HAIR STYLE, TO SHOW THE NEW TRANSFORMATION!

REVOLUTION: Defintion

Revolution!! What does it really mean? I love looking up words in the dictionary and finding all the little things that can make it grand or take a look at the negative it can mean.

1REVOLUTION

a (1): the action by a celestial body of going round in an orbit or elliptical course; also: apparent movement of such a body round the earth (2): the time taken by a celestial body to make a complete round in its orbit (3): the rotation of a celestial body on its axis

b: completion of a course (as of years); also: the period made by the regular succession of a measure of time or by a succession of similar events

c (1): a progressive motion of a body around an axis so that any line of the body parallel to the axis returns to its initial position while remaining parallel to the axis in transit and usually at a constant distance from it (2): motion of any figure about a center or axis <revolution of a right triangle about one of its legs generates a cone> (3): rotation 1b

2

a: a sudden, radical, or complete change

b: a fundamental change in political organization; especially: the overthrow or renunciation of one government or ruler and the substitution of another by the governed

c: activity or movement designed to effect fundamental changes in the socioeconomic situation

d: a fundamental change in the way of thinking about or visualizing something : a change of paradigm revolution

>

e: a changeover in use or preference especially in technology revolution> revolution>

See revolution defined for English-language learners »

See revolution defined for kids »

Examples of REVOLUTION

1. The group started a revolution.
2. The king knew that there was a threat of revolution.
3. This new theory could cause a revolution in elementary education.
4. the revolution of the Earth around the Sun
5. The period of revolution of the Earth around the Sun is equal to one year.
6. The Earth makes one revolution on its axis in about 24 hours.
7. This motor operates at a speed of 5,000 revolutions per minute.

Origin of REVOLUTION

Middle English revolucioun, from Middle French revolution, from Late Latin revolution-, revolutio, from Latin revolvere to revolve

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to REVOLUTION

Synonyms: gyration, pirouette, reel, spin, roll, rotation, twirl, wheel, whirl

Related Words: circuit, circulation, ring, round; coil, curl, curve, spiral, twist, whorl; circle, orbit; eddy, swirl

Near Antonyms: counterinsurgency, counterrevolution

see all synonyms and antonyms

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See Synonym Discussion at rebellion

Other Astronomy Terms

gibbous, nadir, nebulous, penumbra, retrograde, sidereal, syzygy, wane, wax, zenith

Rhymes with REVOLUTION

absolution, allocution, attribution, comminution, consecution, constitution, contribution, convolution, destitution, dissolution, distribution, elocution, evolution, execution, exsolution, institution, involution, persecution, prosecution, prostitution, resolution, restitution, retribution, Rosicrucian, substitution

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absolution, allocution, attribution, comminution, consecution, constitution, contribution, convolution, destitution, dissolution, distribu...

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revolution

noun (Concise Encyclopedia)

In politics, fundamental, rapid, and often irreversible change in the established order. Revolution involves a radical change in government, usually accomplished through violence, that may also result in changes to the economic system, social structure, and cultural values. The ancient Greeks viewed revolution as the undesirable result of societal breakdown; a strong value system, firmly adhered to, was thought to protect against it. During the Middle Ages, much attention was given to finding means of combating revolution and stifling societal change. With the advent of Renaissance humanism, there arose the belief that radical changes of government are sometimes necessary and good, and the idea of revolution took on more positive connotations. John Milton regarded it as a means of achieving freedom, Immanuel Kant believed it was a force for the advancement of mankind, and G.W.F. Hegel held it to be the fulfillment of human destiny. Hegel's philosophy in turn influenced Karl Marx. See also coup d'état.

New Changes

New changes are underway. When you tell your church friends your struggles not in a complaining way, you can find help asap!

This fall I wasn't in the mood to go to a hay ride. The IBS issues were a hassle and then so was the constant yeat infection. Newly found that being a diabetic and socializing was not going to be a diet for me. You know the normal picnics with baked beans, buns, chips sweets, crackers, bbq meats. I opened up with the hostess and that was it.

While there after the hayride I had a woman come and sit next to me who didn't know me. We have had new people coming to our church and many I didn't know. (I am home doing daycare and I am busy sometimes 7 days a week day and night. So I am home all the time.) I told her a few things and she told me her husband has been a diabetic for 43 years! He is on insulin. Wow! God intervention or what? Lucine has been a help in this battle. She gave me a book to read, her personal bible so to say.
"The Maker's Diet" by Dr. Jordan S. Rubin.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Makers-Diet-Jordan-Rubin/dp/1591857147/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358431652&sr=8-1&keywords=the+makers+diet

I thought I had problems for 30+ years living with IBS and here Jordan was 19 when his issues started (I was 18) and he almost died from his condition! He was ready to have surgery and get a bag because parts of his intestines were in very rough shape. His family brought him to Dr.'s around the world for help. Here to make a LONG story short, he PRAYED asking God to heal him. He was a skelleton and had lost so much weight and hair. Within 3 months of living the Maker's Diet he was at a healthy weight! Talk about CHANGES!

In a nut shell: Gave up Wheat, dairy and ate Kosher meats! No refined or processed foods! Eating wild meats and meats that God allowed back in the Bible. I am not going to give it away, you have to read this book!

Making these new changes being allergic to Wheat, Gluten, Dairy and Eggs has been difficult and I have been a whinner! OMG forgive me! My body is going through withdrawls over cheese, and wheat. Wheat of course turns into sugar. Sugar is our biggest addiction! I can have rice, I can have potatoes but in moderation because they turn to sugar fast. I can have POPCORN! That is my crunch factor and pig out if you need one.

I have done so many veggies that you would not believe it! I am now going to plan out my garden. There are going to be so many kinds of veggies that I would not have tried before!

I have been wheat and dairy free since Jan 2. I will share recipes later as I go along. I did 1.75 miles on the treadmill on Tuesday and yesterday I did a workout with "Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred". Her workout is 20 minutes and dig this: EQUALS 1 HR IN THE GYM! Hello changes!

My Diva Den Day!

Oh yes, I finally made it to my Scrapbooking Room today! I have plans! I am making my Valentine's Album! I am using the Kissing Booth Papers from Basic Grey!

There is something to be said about creating something beautiful. To make or bring into existence something new through imaginative skill. Second is to fill this album with fun memories with pictures of being married for 31 years. It doesn't always have to be for Valentine's Day but to show how it's Valentine's day every day with doing the little things to keep close to your heart when you are having a bad day. Going to the park in Chicago for a picnic, going to the beaches in California, going walleye fishing on Lake Mille Lacs one of the 10,000 lakes of MN that is in our front yard, building a project together, a cook out, time well spent with the grandchildren. What will you be able to fill yours with?

All things must change

Well, well, well! Where to begin? There were reasons I did not keep up with my blog. Life can sometimes just get in the way! And it sure did!

I have been a person that just goes with the flow and never gives up. My husband had been working in ND and living in an appartment out there. I was here at home continuing to work and run my daycare business here in MN. The lawn was out of control with lots of grass clippings after we hired a lawn care service. He went on a mission trip and I was to mow the lawn while he was gone which was okay. The lawn mower broke down and it took a couple weeks to get the repairs done.

I found that I was just whipped all the time tired as can be. There was so much to do and having a garden too. Shopping for food, cleaning the house just got to be last thing on the plate during the end of the day to the end of summer. Outside looked great and inside was looking like a daycare house. It NEVER looked like that before. The lawn NEVER looked like this before!

Our lawn service brought a grass container to bag the clippings. His bagger was not working. He spent hours leaf blowing the grass to the back yard. It then was stuck on the tall ragweed that bordered the yard. It looked awful too. So the kids and I racked the lawn! All 2 acres that we mow. We were finally getting somewhere! So I thought this is why I was so tired and no energy left at end of the evenings.

I was doing Jillian Michaels' Shredding the pounds, lawn work, garden work, cooking and making sure that we had fun too during our days. I had a yeast infection that would not go away. So I finally went to the doctor in September and said "Hey, let's get rid of this!" That visit turned into a few returned trips for blood work and in October I found that I had diabetes! My A1C was 9.5%! I was dehydrated and miserable being tired and running to empty my bladder.

While we were waiting for those test results on a Sunday afternoon I was playing on my iPad looking up all kinds of things. IBS was one of those things. Irriatable Bowel Syndrom! Yes that too on top of everything else. I have had that for 30+ years and have never given up. I won't even start on all the places that I have gone to for help with this! THAT COULD BE A BOOK IN ITSELF!

I found a place on line that came up just for this purpose! www.IbsTreatmentCenter.com.
I read the testimonies and my husband asked if I wrote those? So after some talking and a little arguement I had an appointment booked for Nov 5th! In SEATTLE, WASHINGTON!!! So I asked my mom if she wanted to go on a trip for her birthday and we went! (Yes, I am a TWILIGHT FAN and even went to FORKS!!!)

I am a so glad that I went and there is so much to this story. Not only was the lawn out of control so was my own life. It was unraveling fast! Diabetes diagnosis, after I have been doing Herbalife shakes for a year, then switched to Visalus Shakes. Eating right and started a journey in 2009 to loose weight. I had lost 30#'s and was just stuck for 2 years! WHY? I eat well! I have been excercising! Growing a garden, doing raking, playing with kids! There was always more questions. My stomach was growing in the abdomen area instead of going down after doing Jillian's workout! Grrr! Life is just NOT FAIR!

LAST HALF OF 2012
To recap: May-Sept kept getting Yeast Infections. Went to the Doctor and diagnosed with Diabetes.
October: Started metering my blood sugars, IBS kept getting worse off an on.
November: Trip to Seattle, WA to see IBS specialist Mailed one DNA test to Atlanta and a blood test in Seattle. Still trying to get sugar levels under control. Went to a class on How to Stablize Blood Sugar levels.
December: Test results in from Seattle and I cried like a baby! The DNA profile of my GI tract was right on with the bacteria and enzymes! There was nothing wrong there. I thought I would have parasites or some ungodly imbalance with the good bacterias or an overgrowth of yeast. ALL CLEAR!

Food Allergy results: Wheat, Gluten, Garlic, ALL DAIRY: every cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, cheddar, you name it. Biggest culprit; EGGS! Plus being diabetic to boot! What the hell am I suppose to eat? I have to have carbs, I WANT PIZZA on FRiDAY evenings, I want to have ICE CREAM, too! do you say; life is going to hell in a hand basket?! Spirialling out of control, wizzing past me faster than the ND speed limit at 75 miles an hour! Please God take way the wheat and gluten but NOT THE DAIRY! If you have ever wanted in your life to see a grown 51 year old woman cry on the floor kicking and screaming about Pizza it was FRIDAY NIGHT January 4th! Third day of not having one single bite of that allery stuff! I am here to say that I made it through it! We got Buffalo Wild Wings and had salad and it was fantastic, except they were too HOT.

Future postings will have ideas of how to move forward! I will share recipes and thoughts from books that I am reading and focusing on for Lisa will Gleam in 2013! You mean blaze, glow, shine, be radiant?! Just watch and wait and see!

Welcome 2013

August 2011 I went back home for the second time to Vermont for my step -dad's funeral. I visited most of the area and my old stomping grounds and spent time with friends during both visits. I took plenty of pictures and have plenty to be Thankful for. I got to spend time with people that I had made Life Long friendships with and it didn't feel like it had been 30 years since we were together. Friends made in 1975 to 1979 in a small town.

I lived in Rutland, Vermont and moved to Tinmouth in the summer of 1975. Lived there for a year and moved to Middletown Springs. Lived there for a year and moved to Poultney, Vermont for my 10th - 12th grades in High School. All these towns are so small and just quaint with plenty of character that makes me home sick. This graveyard we used to play in at night for "Ghost in the Graveyard".

I helped my mom with getting her house cleaned up from 5 years of medical supplies that were used to take care of Ray. We went for drives and took plenty of pictures from the tops of some mountain tops to valleys and the place that I met Terry Scanlon right here in Middletown Springs on New Years Eve 1978 going into 1979 the year I graduated from High School.We married August 1980.

As you can see that the scenery is breathtaking and plush and green. Some of my friends have never been "east" and want to go during the fall to see what I grew up with. Maple trees, beautiful churches, colonial homes and old farm homes.

2011 was a very busy year. Backing up to July; our family cabin was being updated with a new roof for the garage and new siding for the cabin and the garage. It was the HOTTEST summer on record with humidity at 110%! NO A/C! It was miserable!

 This is how humid it was. Every window in our home was covered with moisture. I took this picture when I looked outside while making meals for our family in the A/C to take to our cabin 7 miles up the road, there was a perfect heart that dripped into creation on the window.

My brother in law and my husband were sweating miserably up on the rooftop!

 Our 9th grandchild turned 1! We can't believe how many little blessing that have been filling our lives for the past two years.

My daycare children were abundant this year and they were ready with helping hands and trying to stay cool during our summer. Time just got away form me and that was just a simple fact as being my own business owner and having 9 grandkids to play with when I was off and our two month cabin project. Life just goes and goes. So much has happened and maybe I can get this updated and keep up? LOL, we will see!

My Elementary BFF

This is my elementary school BFF Carol. We hadn't seen each other most likely since 1975. Our moms had gotten divorces and with that it meant moving. We started our lives in one city and Carol moved to a place that wasn't as country as where we moved to. We moved to Spoon Mountain in Vermont. It was the last house on top of the mountain and we were in seclusion! Times changed for us and living about an hour away from each other was hard to do. We didn't have drivers licenses let alone permits. How about this for two 50 year old chicks?

How did 2012 get here?

WOW, 2012 is here and the year just flew by!

I had two wonderful trips back home to the country roads that I grew up in. I went to Vermont for Mother's day. My mom sounded very tired and needed a boost of happiness. My step dad had won the fight on Lymphoma Cancer and during his last treatment he suffered a stroke and then never walked again.

Illness is a hard thing: It can be a good thing to spend all that time together growing old with me. Small communinites are great for visitors and seeing people. But as we can see time flies by and life is rushing off into the horizon. Five years being bed bound and taking care of a loved one day in and day out is a great gift of time given and also a robber of time. Days blend into days and next thing you know five years have passed. Multiple trips to the hospital for in between illnesses and countless docotr appointments that there is no time for visitors to come on by.

I hadn't been home in years so I decided to go home for Mother's day. My girls love our Mother;s day celebrations but I had to just be with my mom. She was sooo happy! My eyes were opened up to see how every day life with mom was.

The visiting nurse came every day to help with getting Ray ready for the day. I saw a great relationship that formed through this life altering event. Ida was so loving and reliable. Although no one else really stopped in. I saw what it takes to go to a doctor appointment. Mom being 5'4 and Ray being 6'3 and a very big giant; there wasn't a small village to help. It takes a lift machine to move him form the bed to the wheel chair. Once placed in the chair mom would get him strapped in with bungie cords and belts to make sure he was secure for the ride. Once settled she would bring him down the ramp to the van and it was a site to see. The power would be turned on for the ramp to come down and get ready for taking this man into the heart of the van. The chair would get secured into place and off we would go. The days travels would exhaust Ray and he would be sleeping for the rest of the day. During that doctor appointment I got to see my elementary best girlfriend. We hadn't seen each other since 1975. We were so excited and made plans to have our moms together for lunch on Mother's day. Mom made plas for a sitter to come in and stay with Ray and we had four hours to shop and do lunch.

New Year 2011

We have been into the NEW YEAR for 24 days already! Time really flies! During the holidays we had three parties! The first one being with our family: daughters and grand kids and their spouses and one boyfriend. The second being a party for the daycare children and their parents! The joy of giving gifts and seeing everyone being happy is so cool. There was a whole lot of gift giving for them and was glad it was done! Christmas excitement lasts for days and weeks with new and exciting toys during our winter shut in time. The third party was the Scanlon Christmas party where we get together and buy a $20 gift and fight over it! This year it was licorice and a Starbucks coffee mug and the Scanlon Lexus license plate holder. It was a great time!

New Years Day Sara, Teresa and I watched the Twilight sage: Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse. Sara had not seen any of the movies and Teresa is like me, we will watch them anytime! We are Team Edward and Sara has not declared yet if she is Team Edward or Team Jacob. She had read all the books. The rest of the gang went snowmobiling and came home at 8PM. We stayed warm and had some great fruit and wine. Sister-in-laws bonding together was a great way to kick off the New Year. We are already making plans for November 18 to see the first Part of Breaking Dawn pt 1. Only 297 days to go!

The New year is also a time to reflect on years past. Friends that I never thought I would hear from contacted me on the Social Network! How cool is that? We rented the movie and had a good time watching that and to see the intelligence of a young man making a difference in this world. Many relatives are keeping in touch. Half brothers and sisters, step brothers and sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents. There is no age limit to who had grabbed FACE BOOK and ran with it. Reconnecting and reflecting and moving on with your future is rather intriguing. All these people shaped our character and made us the people we are today. Some people were blessings and some people were not!

Just 4 days after a long lost friend contacted me I had a big healing and a serious time with my Lord. It was a down right ugly cry and a cleansing that was harsh and left me a limp rag. The best part was he showed me that there was someone who really cared and loved me for ME. I never regret and time that we spent together as short as it was. It opened the door for my future and that was a gift revealed many years later...a gift for the New year. Next month I will turn 50 and I know that the next 50 years will be more rewarding and lived to the fullest. Thank you Jesus for showing me special gifts! One reserved just for me on Saturday. My hurting heart is mended and it was something my husband and I got to talk about for hours. I believe the Lord has a plan for me after my experience of a Mountian Top Experience. He shielded me in the cleft of the rock and it will bless others too!

Another Year has gone by

Do you ever wonder where time goes? I do! Why? Time is like a blink of the eye. There are many things that we have to do by living life.

define things: 1. a matter of concern, many things to do. 2. deed, act of accomplishment, do great things.

Last year I went from 11 kids to ONE when school was back in session. I took the time to read. I mean read! I had watched the movie "Twlight" and had to get the books to see how "New Moon" was going to be when it came to the theater! I didn't realize that there were FOUR books in Stephenie Meyers series.

Picking up the first two books: My husbaand was working in another state and I ony had one child. She was heavily invested in watching the Barbie movies. "Can I pick another one?" So the more she picked the more I read. Staring with "Twlight" I found that the book had treasures to behold that were not in the movie. I was so intrigued that I moved on to "New Moon". I was all excited about how the book was and I finished it on the second day of school. I started to feel warm fuzzies after being a little mad over the story. I was in trouble! I called a girlfriend that works on the road and asked her to PLEASE pick up the last two books. She did pick them up for me! (She could have said no). I moved right on to "Eclipse" and was taken in hook line and sinker! I finished that book and could not put them down. I burned the midnight oil, read by sunshine during the day and moved on to "Breaking Dawn.

I first was so angry! How can things be taking a turn for what seemed to be the most logical thing to take place? I called my daughter and said that I was done..I will not finish this book! Okay, I hope that you can feel the emotions here! I have literally went through many emotions reading these books laughing, crying, being mad, and then feeling warm and fuzzy. Wondering why this last book was SO LONG reading was still a frenzy! In one weeks time I finished all 2,444 pages! Left behind with blood shot eyes and a GIANT headache I had never in all my life enjoyed reading and then to have an end! Four books were not enough! Focusing on the New Moon's release I planned to attend the midnight showing with my daughter and her friend. That took up all of fall. AND Eclipse came out too! Went to that MIDNIGHT show again!

Winter rolls around and what things can you find to do in MN? Winters are very long. One very cold -35 below Sunday morning there was a family that had been coming to our church for awhile that encountered a challenge. God planted a seed and nutured it during the whole service and it blossomed into an oak tree in my heart that offfered them a place to be warm when their furnace went out. My husband was away and we have a big house..so use it for the Lord. Right?

Stepping out in FAITH was a good thing. Something that was EASY for a WEEK or TWO turned into TWO MONTHS! Okay Lord, I GET IT! Although it was a trying time, this family needed so much help! Things were things that turned into POSSESSIONS AND EFFECTS (like pack your things),. During the two months DETAIL AND POINT came into clear view (checks every little thing). The Lord is still in this and he is in control. Time wasn't wasted and a new plan was put into place. By the Lord himself information collected turned into an opportunity with a silver lining.

There is always a way to fill a need and needs are always met in God's timing. After a hard winter, I was blessed with a daycare HELPER! After investing time, heart and soul a HELPER was born. Daily training was still a must and next hing you know..I was on my way to PROVO, UTAH to go to a Scrapbooking convention. Then travels opened up for going to Mesa, AZ and another grandchild was born. I was there for it!

Life is always busy and I may not have had lots of time to finish the scrapbooking journey and make albums. There was an investment in people. This fall and winter the thoughts and projects I had in mind are coming together slowly and the accomplishment is being delivered by God's grace.

The list of how life went on:
1. Read the Twilight saga
2. Helped someone whom we did not know.
3. Started an addtition onto our church that took my husbands time
4. Traveled to TWO Creating Keepsake Conventions.
5. Had another GRANDSON!
6. A Helper was BORN for my daycare so I could get to appointments!
7. Took care of me twice a week traveling three hours round trip each time to the Chiropractor!
8. Went to Scrapfest 2010 in September!
9. Had all EIGHT grandkids over Labor Day Weekend!
10. We had a spring project that wook all summer to do and is almost finished!
11. Went to Las Vegas for our 30th anniversary!

I have learned in the last year although I was away from my BLOG:
Investing in God's wants gave me freedom after investing time in three individuals lives. I had NO IDEA how things would work out. I was afraid and had reservations as the plan unfolded! I questioned the Lord, "Are you sure I can do this? I am NOT the RIGHT person for this!" 'Okay, I didn't sign up for this! How much HARDER does this have to get?"

My husband and I developed a friendship that will last a lifetime with a family we didn't know.
We had family members that needed us too. My husband and I traveled to places individually alone and then together for an amazing four days. Life is getting back to some kinda normal, maybe.

Tim's artful work

This is a chipbaord album that Tim had on display. Just pay attention to the details he thinks of.

This page is busy with dtails in the same way that little boys are busy. He added masculine touches with chains, spiners, brads, ink, numbers, ribbon, and journaling. Isn't it awesome?!

This is another chip baord album that is fun to look at. D rings, ink and more ink, gears, phot corners, and staples. What guy doesn't own a staple gun? Pretty unique!

Tim took time to let us get pictures with him. He is very friendly and an awesome teacher! He has been part of CKU for quite a few years. His ideas are so neat and pack a lot of punch for masculine gifts, or having the "grunge look".

Tim Holt'z Class At CKU

We made these tages, and frames in his class. The tools, techniques, inking, getting grungy was so much fun! My family loves the frames with my pictures in them. Tim sent us home with all the glass for the different frames, stickles, capsules, and a rubber stamp to make more tags! Of course, I have been hooked and got his supplies! They are on sale at joann.com today.

Tim Holtz is the Education Director for Ranger Industries, one of the leading manufacturers of innovative inks, paints, and embossing products. Tim plays an integral part in the development and design of cutting edge paper crafting products. Tim had teamed up with various key companies including Advantus/Tim Holtz idea-ology, Tonic Studios, and Stampers Anonymous to bring unique products that work hand in hand with Ranger’s extensive lines.As a well known designer, Tim travels across the country and internationally to educate and introduce people to his world of ink techniques, clever projects, and so much more. His DVDs and books are filled with creative and inspiring ideas for the beginner paper crafters and beyond. He truly lives his motto that creativity is an endless journey...In a world where the moments of our lives can be captured and created in art of the everyday, it’s important it reflects our own unique personality. Finding just the right objects, accents, and tools to use are most important. Whatever your artistic vision is, exploring the imaginative is a chance for our creativity to escape understanding. Remember life isn’t about finding yourself - life is about creating yourself...For more information about Tim and to view project demos visit http://www.timholtz.com/ and http://www.timholtz.typepad.com/.

CKU bags

My BFF Trish with her bag. She loves collecting bags! She has many many purses. My husband can't get too upset with my bag collecting! LOL! (He hates them!!)
Me with my CKU bag. The colors are fantastic and the goodies are incredible!

After we ate supper we went to the "Meet and Greet" to meet the designers and teachers that we would be working with during our experience in Provo. How exciting!!