On the Road to Recovery

After returning home from a meaningful and inspiring trip, I came down with a cold that triggered a hive's episode. The only good thing I can say about that is that I was able to get through it without increasing my prednisone. I'm determined to get off this stuff. As a result, I've lost the past week. But I'm back now and ready to get things done. Here's the catch. I leave again on Monday for one of my favorite events of the year---our annual spring "farm crop." I'll be gone until Friday without internet access. I will be able to get emails via my phone---but even that has sporadic reception. I have a lot to do this weekend to get ready (including a date to see Hunger Games with my book club), but in the meantime---in keeping with this, the most holiest of weeks---this sign says it all.

When I get home on Friday, I'll be getting ready for Easter brunch. I never even got my spring decorations out this year. It just sort of crept up on me. Anyway, I'll be cooking the same old things---the family always requests the same things. We'll have a honey baked ham and turkey, hash brown casserole, carrot casserole, peas, jello salad and some sort of cake---like a coconut cake or something. I haven't quite decided that. I want to get my grocery list put together this weekend so that perhaps, I can convince Butch to do the shopping while I'm gone this week. He'll do it. I think he likes grocery shopping.

Things never slow down. I wouldn't have it any other way.

TSRCC

The topic this month was: "Things your dad always said." The color combo was black and brown.
I was sick this month and unable to attend. I was told that the stories were really good.

This is Linda's layout.  

Sandy's layout. She picked the topic for the month too. 

 Lola's layout---so glad to have her back!

 These bunnies are something that Sandy made. I don't know the details about them, but they are sure cute

 Barbie's layout.

 Barbie's layout from last month.

 Karolyn's layout---glad she's back too.

 Jan's layout.

Another layout from Jan.

The challenge for next month is to scrapbook a famous person, or your idol and to use hexagon shapes on the page. Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!

AYM/3

One of our members that was unable to attend the meeting asked that I include what we discussed during class. Here are a few of the things that I can remember. Feel free to leave a comment if I leave anything out.

1. I commented on the fact that everyone has become a storyteller---my personal goal for these classes. Some tell longer stories than others. Whatever you choose to do is okay. Another comment was made that their family would not bother to read what they wrote, but would just want to look at the pictures. That may be true for right now, but I guarantee you that 50 years (even 25) in the future, people are going to be interested in how we live. Think about things like old diaries, autograph books and cookbooks that we might come across today. We find them interesting, but much more so if they belong to one of our ancestors. Pictures alone may not be all that interesting to people in the future. It's the stories behind the pictures that make them (and us) immortal. (Okay, I didn't even say all that in class).

2. On this next assignment---scrapbooking our faith---can be pretty personal and private. I've included a little envelope that you can tuck your journaling in. You do not have to share your words at anytime if you prefer to keep them private.

3. Here's my "faith" layout. My title is: "Believe me, growing up Catholic wasn't always easy." I told a couple stories about my experience with the mean nuns in grade school. I did my journaling on a transparency. Again, the little book on the upper left, I treated like a fold out. It opens on the outside of the page protector.

I cut the large cross free handed from one of those 12x12" filigree type papers. You can barely see the "believe" here. I painted it yellow, used a scrap of the leftover filigree paper as a mask and painted blue over the top.

I think that's about all I can remember.

AYM/3

Here are the March layouts. The assignment was to scrapbook an important relationship.

Kathy T. chose to scrapbook her best friend.

 Linda M. honored her best friend with a letter telling her what their friendship meant to her.

 Fran told many stories about her quilts.

She ended up doing 2 layouts in order to get all her stories told.

 Kathy M. titled her page "He was my first grandson."

  Linda N. titled her page "Twitterpated"---about her relationship with her granddaughter.

Mary chose an unusual topic---about her love/hate relationship with peanut butter. 

 Sherry shares her love of her miniature pincher.

 Beverly chose a fantasy relationship with Dwight Yokam and how she's worshiped him from afar.

 Jan's title is "Happy Day 9/16/2000"---the day she got her bichon frise---Beau Geste.

 Jennifer told the story of her relationship with her husband in the early 1980's.

 Jennifer also shared her purse layout from last month.

 Shara's title says it all: "My love for my mom."

Charon focused on her dad and their love of sports.

AYM/2

Only a couple of the gals could make the meeting, so I only have 2 layouts from this group.

 Sally's layouts are "Crafty Jordan" and "delicious dinner."

 Mary Jo's layouts are "clutter CAR" and "in DISGUISE."

Eads Girls Scrapbook Weekend

Here we are in Columbus, IN amidst all the tornadoes yesterday. Turns out, we only had a light rain and mostly sun.  Here's how it went down:

I picked Steph up on Thursday at noon. Mindy was "afraid" to ask off work because  she had just taken off for Mardi Gras two weeks before. She got her dad to drive her---in fairness to her, it was our idea. I'm paranoid about auto accidents---as I've said before---it's truly the only thing I worry about.

Anyway, Butch set up meetings in Indianapolis and Louisville for Friday to make the trip worthwhile. He was late getting to Mindy because he had to take Morgan to a doctor's appointment that afternoon. That delay cost them dearly. They were stuck for 2 hours on I-65 due to an accident. Then when he got to Columbus, his GPS directed him to the wrong place. What should have taken 4.25 hours took about 6. He pretty much went to bed while we girls stayed up talking until nearly 2 a.m.

He left early on Friday and got hailed on twice---Indianapolis and Nashville. He has plenty of damage to his car to prove it!

We're having a lot of fun and laughs, great food, lots of scrapbooking (except for me who left an important pile of "stuff" at home that has delayed me. Bummer. We got in the hot tub last night and over-flowed it by NOT following the "hot tub rules" which had a limit of 4---there were 6 of us who got in.
Unfortunately for me, it set off my hives. I took another dose of prednisone before bed, so I'm A-ok today.

I'm adding a few layouts that I did at our last scrapbook retreat. Whatever I get done here I'll show later. Actually, I'm hoping today is more productive. When I realized I'd left important stuff behind, I sort of lost my zest for the day.

I was so happy that I recorded the course of events leading up to mom's death. As I re-read the journaling prior to making this layout, it made me cry, but also, it reminded me of several things I had already forgotten. That is exactly why I think telling the story is so important. "I love you mom."I made pockets on both pages to accommodate everything.

"Identical Twins" is about my sisters, Janice and Jennifer. I incorporated a college report that Jennifer had done about identical twins. It was so interesting that I had to include. Who knows, maybe 50 years down the road, some future ancestor my have identical twins and find this fascinating from 2012.

I had more layouts to share, but the internet here is incredibly slow and after an hour, on these two pictures downloaded. I don't have time for this now.

Later....

TSRCC

The challenge this month was to scrapbook something your mother always said that you never thought you'd say. It was really funny. As each person read their sayings, many of us were reminded that our moms said that too! The color scheme is grey, yellow and black. Some followed it closer than others.

I pointed out that, although I haven't said anything in months about telling a story, everyone did! I think everyone is sold on the idea that it's more about the stories. At least I hope so. The story makes the pages so much more interesting---or maybe I'm just nosy. I want to know everything! Keep up the good work girls!!

PS Some of the girls have page protectors over their layouts. That's why it's not always a clear photo.

 Nancy: "Mama Said"

 Pam: "Don't  Make That Face. It Will Stay That Way."

 

 Jan: "Mama Said"

 Linda: "Betty(isms)"

Sandy: "Mama still speaks to me."

My layout (Barb): "When I was like this...She said this:

 'They won't buy the cow if they get the milk for free.' "

The challenge for next month is to scrapbook something your father always said. The colors are black and brown.