Ranting...Proceed with Caution

Oh the lengths we moms will go to to insure that our children have a nice Christmas! I am working a pt job at a department store which ranges in hours from 20-30 each week. Sometimes I go in as early as 5am or stay as late as 12:30 am! But we will have a cash Christmas, meaning no bills afterwards. I also got a pt job at the place I used to work on a pt basis because they wanted me to come back. So that will add an extra 10-15 hours to my stash of cash each week! So, I am a wee bit tired from all the crazy hours.

Then of course, I selected my pt job based on where I shop the most anyway to take advantage of the employee discount. Which they have totally managed to screw up and not given me. I use the store CC and pay it off each week when I get paid. Tada...no bills. The employee discount is supposed to be automatically applied. We've had two special shopping days where they double our discount and we can use any other printed coupons on top of that so sometimes we can save as much as an additional 45% on top of any sale, reduced, clearance prices! Wow, eh! Except that the credit card division is apparently separate from the stores division and they don't have any record of me being an employee so they won't give me my employee credits. The store says they mailed in the paperwork to make me get my credits, and I'm caught in the middle getting NOTHING and working like a dog. It is really upsetting me to the point it is affecting my sleep, which might be stupid, but the whole reason I'm working is cash only and discounts! I've got to call the store's HR person today who I have already talked to about this once, but apparently it's not a big deal to her? I don't know, but someone can have this fixed right away.

And then there will be the whole issue of back crediting me, which credit says they've never done before.

And how much of an ass can you be to your employer?

On top of that, my lovely dd has decided that she is just going to be the world's biggest crab. Nothing is making her happy lately. Nothing is good enough. She is really pissing me off. She's being very self-centered...ah teenage...like last night when we were shopping to take advantage of the employee shopping day discounts and she just couldn't be bothered even though she supposedly needs shoes for her upcoming dance and a strapless bra. So I sent her to the car. I needed my wallet attached to my keys so she took the keys off. This morning she wants to start the car and just grabs any ole keys and attaches them to my wallet so that when I ask if my keys are with my wallet, she can say yes. Which means that when I get home from driving her to school, I am locked out and dh has to come home from work and let me in.

She wanted to go to the beach this weekend with her friend. She is so grounded it is not even funny. Maybe that is a Merry Christmas to me.

Thank you for listening to me rant. Sorry there are no fun pics to look at with this post! Although I will be scrapping today to calm my frayed nerves! LOL!

Adventure Dog by Beth Rimmer

Adventure Dog by Beth Rimmer at Digitals Font: Love Ya Like A Sister; Filter by OptikVerve

Oh, Beth Rimmer just keeps amazing me. I just love her designs. Every designer brings something to the table, but Beth's style always blows my mind. Her creations are unique. They really make me think about my designs and stretch my imagination. I hope you will check out all her goodies and her latest Christmas kit, which I will be working with shortly.

I just finished my home made gift for my Secret Santa at Scrapstreet. I can't post it though until she gets it in case she comes over to my blog and sees it. I'm worried she's seen pieces of it at galleries I've posted at. I hope not! And mainly, I hope she likes it. Whew! Nothing like creating for someone else, and especially when that someone else is extremely talented! Ssshhh...can't say who it is...but I will reveal on reveal day!

Lets reveal what I'm thankful for today: my dog Harry. He is a chow/lab mix that was found when he was about six months old with no collar and obviously no home. He grew into his 55 lb. self. We named him Harry for Harry Potter, although hindsight would have said Sirius Black! LOL! Also, Harry for hairy. and also because at the age my kids were, Harry is easy for them to spell! LOL! He is soft and snuggly like a big teddy bear. His disposition is definitely lab not chow. He is loveable and sweet. He hardly barks and if he were a human you'd say, he never has an unkind thing to say. He is just a happy-go-lucky dog with a sunny disposition!

Scrap Christmas Card

So I hang out at Scrapstreet, and a bunch of us are exchanging Christmas cards, which frankly, is one of the reasons I like to hang there. It's friendly! I made this card for those girls. I would normally make a card with my kids and stuff, but since they just know me, I figured I would just do me. BECAUSE the card is just going to be from me anyway!

It is hard to pick a photo. It is hard to take a self-portrait. I used dd's method. Hold the camera in the air and just shoot a bunch. I decided this one was the best for the time being. I mean who ever really likes any picture they are in?


Extra Extra Read All About It by Tangie Baxter; font DJB Plain Jane; filter OptikVerve Paparazzi

Let me say as it is Thanksgiving that the thing I am thankful for today is family. Yes, corny, but true. The regular day to day life of family living! Like knowing that dh has coffee for me every morning. Or that ds is going to thump-thump-thump down the stairs. Or dd will come in still sleepy eyed. Ah, even on a holiday, they are still the same! LOL!

Tangie Baxter is having 30% off her yummy digi stuff this weekend so click on her blinkie over there and check it out!

CottageArts.net is having 40% off I believe...so check out their sale, too. Click on their blinkie. Julie Meade has released some great new kits!

And finally to Princess Lala's question...who are your five favorite authors?
You know...I don't read by author usually. Mainly I read alot of autobiographies and biographies. I'm curious about what made/makes famous folks tick. What separated them from the rest of the folks?
But I do love:
John Grisham
Nora Roberts
David Baldacci
Beth Moore (Christian books)
Max Lucado
So there you have it! TFL!

Oh found this on Melissa's blog so I took the test myself...

Gummy Bears

You may be smooshie and taste unnatural, but you're so darn cute.

What Kind of Candy Are You?

A Good Laugh

This was shared with us today at Scrapstreet, and I had to post it on my blog. If you need a good laugh, this will do it.

This is funny. (I don't have a clue as to who wrote
this, but....WHAT A HOOT!) All hair removal methods have tricked women
with their promises of
easy, painless removal The Epilady, scissors,
razors, Nair and now...the
wax.

Read on.........

My night began as any other normal weeknight. Come
home, fix dinner, play
with the kids. I then had the thought that would
ring painfully in my mind
for the next few hours: "Maybe should pull the
waxing kit out of the
medicine cabinet."

So I headed to the site of my demise: the bathroom.
It was one of those
"cold wax" kits. No melting a clump of hot wax, you
just rub the strips
together in your hand, they get warm and you peel
them apart and press them
to your leg (or wherever else) and you pull the hair
right off.

No muss, no fuss. How hard can it be? I mean, I'm
not a genius, but I am mechanically inclined enough to
figure this out. (YA THINK!?!)

So I pull one of the thin strips out. Its two strips
facing each other stuck
together. Instead of rubbing them together, my
genius kicks in so I get out
the hair dryer and heat it to 1000 degrees. ("Cold
wax," yeah...right!)
I lay the strip across my thigh. Hold the skin around
it tight and pull.
It works!

OK, so it wasn't the best feeling, but it wasn't too
bad. I can do this!

Hair removal no longer eludes me! I am She-rah,
fighter of all wayward body
hair and maker of smooth skin extraordinaire.

With my next wax strip I move north. After checking
on the kids, I sneak back into the bathroom, for the ultimate hair
fighting championship.

I drop my panties and place one foot on the toilet.

Using the same procedure, I apply the wax strip
across the right side of my bikini line, covering the right half of my hoo-ha
and stretching down to the inside of my butt cheek (it was a long strip)

I inhale deeply and brace
myself....RRRRRRIIIIPPP!!!!

I'm blind!!! Blinded from pain!!!!....

OH MY GAWD!!!!!!!!!

Vision returning, I notice that I've only managed to
pull off half the strip. CRAP! Another deep breath and RIPP!
Everything is spinning and spotted. I think I may pass out...must stay
conscious...must stay conscious.
Do I hear crashing drums??? Breathe,
breathe..................OK, back
to normal.

I want to see my trophy - a wax covered strip, the
one that has caused me so much pain, with my hairy pelt sticking to it. I want
to revel in the glorythat is my triumph over body hair.
I hold up the strip!
There's no hair on it.

Where is the hair???

WHERE IS THE WAX???

Slowly I ease my head down, foot still perched on
the toilet. I see the hair. The hair that should be on the strip...it's
not! I touch. I am touching wax.
I run my fingers over the most sensitive part of my
body, which is now covered in cold wax and matted hair. Then I make the
next BIG mistake...remember my foot is still propped upon the
toilet? I know I
need to do something, so I put my foot down.

Sealed shut! My butt is sealed shut. Sealed shut!
I penguin walk around the bathroom trying to figure
out what to do and think
to myself "Please don't let me get the urge to poop.
My head may pop off!"
What can I do to melt the wax?
Hot water!! Hot water melts wax!! I'll run the
hottest water I can stand
into the bathtub, get in, immerse the wax-covered
bits and the wax should
melt and I can gently wipe it off, right???

*WRONG!!!!!!!*

I get in the tub - The water is slightly hotter than
that used to torture prisoners of war or sterilize surgical equipment - I
sit.
Now, the only
thing worse than having your nether regions glued
together, is having them
glued together and then glued to the bottom of the
tub...in scalding hot water. Which, by the way, doesn't melt cold wax.

So, now I'm stuck to the bottom of the tub as though
I had cemented myself
to the porcelain!! God bless the man who had
convinced me a few months ago
to have a phone put in the bathroom!!!!! I call my
friend, thinking surely
she has waxed before and has some secret of how to
get me undone. It's a very good conversation starter "So, my butt and
hoo-ha are glued together to
the bottom of the tub!"

There is a slight pause. She doesn't know any secret
tricks for removal but
she does try to hide her laughter from me. She wants
to know exactly where the wax is located, "Are we talking cheeks or hole
or hoo-ha?"

She's laughing out loud by now...I can hear her. I
give her the rundown and
she suggests I call the number on the side of the
box.
YEAH!!!!! Right!!
I should be the joke of someone else's night. While
we go through various solutions. I resort to trying to scrape the wax off
with a razor .
Nothing feels better than to have your girlie goodies
covered in hot wax, glued
shut, stuck to the tub in super hot water and then
dry-shaving the sticky wax off!!

By now the brain is not working, dignity has taken a
major hike and I'm pretty sure I'm going to need Post-Traumatic Stress
counselling for this event.

My friend is still talking with me when I finally
see my saving grace....the
lotion they give you to remove the excess wax.

What do I really have to lose at this point? I rub
some on and OH MY GOD!!!!!!!< BR>
The scream probably woke the kids and scared the
dickens out of my friend.
It's sooo painful, but I really don't care.

"IT WORKS!!

It works !!" I get a hearty congratulation from my
friend and she hangs up.
I successfully remove the remainder of the wax and
then notice to my grief and despair....
THE HAIR IS STILL THERE.......ALL OF IT!

So I recklessly shave it off. Heck, I'm numb by now.
Nothing hurts.

I could have amputated my own leg at this point.

Next week I'm going to try hair colour......

CottageArts.net New Stuff To Play With

Digi credits:
Simply Done 3.5 Templates. These also include a downloadable how-to video for those of you who aren't familiar with using templates!



In case you are looking for a great gift idea for the upcoming holidays! Click on the banner and check it out!



Digi credits:

Count On Me

Okay, here's the scoop...Michelle over at CottageArts.net has been going crazy lately creating. She's had some fun things for us to play with lately. So I've been playing.

Some days you are just in the mood for a template. Or a template and a little effort. So the templates she's created are perfect for that.

Julie Meade has teamed up with Cottage Arts and several of her creations are available as well. I've downloaded some more to play with besides the Count on Me things. Definitely worth checking out.

Got a fun new treaty-weaty from Beth Rimmer at Digitals. Gonna be playing with that this weekend...Just giving a tease now, but I'll link over the weekend.

Saw a lady today at work who had green hair. She was a cute elderly black woman who had apparently tried to dye her hair blonde. It was green. I mean GREEN.

Speaking of which, I go to my hair dresser on Friday. I love going to the hair dresser. I feel like a new woman. If I had all the money in the world, I would have my hair dresser come over every day and do my hair!

Princess Lala asks what five cars you wish you could own. I'm really not the kind to fantasize about cars. They are wheels to get me where I need to be. But if I were to fantasize:
1. Mini Cooper
2. Mercedes Sedan
3. BMW Sedan
4. BMW Convertible
5. Infiniti of some sort

So on that note...let's chat about what we are thankful for today: what I am thankful for is being a woman and getting to go to the hair dresser. Nothing like a new do, a little color, and an eyebrow waxing to get the day off to a great start. I find the hair salon so relaxing. The hum of the constant gossip and dryers just sort of makes me want to go to sleep!

Calendar, Pumpkins and More

This is the calendar page I have been trying to upload. The templates are by Doreen Stolz. Everything else is by Tangie Baxter Designs. Click on the direct links on the side to check out their terrific designs.

I am in love with this kit. I can't stop using it. Beth Rimmer at Digitals has put so much into it. It's Raining Men. Click on the image to the right and you will go right to it! Plus, the charm is from Tangie Baxter Designs.
Normally I make all my stuff clickable, but blogger has been aggravating me so I'm relying on my sidebar today.

I am having trouble getting blogger to upload my photos. I don't think it is anything I"m doing. I think it is being temperamental!

Princess Lala asks what are the five best desserts on the planet?
I'm not much of a sweets fan, but when I do indulge...
1. cheesecake
2. homemade brownies (gotta be homemade with that whole stick of butter)
3. homemade peach cobbler...nothing like it in this world!
4. a fresh fruit pie of some sort
5. tiramisu

I am thankful for my city house. We don't have suburbs cuz we are not that big. You either live in the city limits or you are in the county. It's simple! I can be in the middle of a corn field in five minutes or downtown. So I'm situated just right and my dogs keep most of the critters out of my yard, which would not be so in the country. Just go check out my friend, Missy's blog. She got some great shots of an owl and a snake in her yard. EEEEEK!

Slowing Down, Calendars & Lo's

Digi credits:
Autumn Leaves by NadlM
Smells Like Autumn by Doreen Stolz
font: cursive standard & impact
glitter design on font by me using PSE 5.0

I'm slowing down on my blogging because I have been busy at my pt job. I worked 7 days straight because I got called in for extra hours. Not a complaint. Extra Christmas money, but I'm pooped when I get home! Retail this time of year is hard work! LOL! One of our asst. managers says she hates Christmas because of retail! That's sad, but people do go a little crazy! LOL!

For example: I had a couple come in who wanted to buy two watches. They were expensive...$199.00 each on sale. Okay, now they also could get a discount of 15% for opening a store cc and another discount with a scratch off for using the card of between 15-30%. Considerable deal...an hour later, I'm still waiting on them. My theory is...either you want it or you don't. If you are not sure, go home! And just fyi...they appeared to have $$, but when the girl started to barter with me like we were in a market in a foreign country, I knew we were in trouble. Bartering? HELLO!
Anyway, you gotta keep it all in perspective. I came home, put my feet up, and watched a good movie!

Princess Lala asks: What are 5 things that make you happy!
1. The smile of my children directed at me. It's the best.
2. When my dh said he couldn't live without me. It's nice to hear that isn't it!
3. A good cup of strong coffee.
4. My dog, Runt, doing his Runt-in-the-box greeting at the window every morning!
5. When Bits, my cat, curls up next to me in bed like I'm his chosen person.

My basic philosophy is just be happy where you are. I try my best to live like that. There's enough unhappiness in the world. Spread your joy people! Know God, know peace. No God, no peace.

Thankful thought of the day: I'm thankful for my dear friend, Missy, who is a very kind and treasured person. She tries to live by example, and it shows.

Doreen Stoltz & Chat

I was picked for Doreen Stoltz Creative Team @ Digital-Scrapbook-Art. She also sells at several other stores. Wahoo! So I got my GC yesterday. Having a hard time picking. I had some items in my cart, and then completely re-picked.

Have you photographed yourself lately? I decided to shoot myself the way dd and her friends do. I have some fun picks of my to do a lo or two with. You ought to give it a shot. (tee hee hee)

Princess Lala asks: Who are five people you never want to see again?
Hmmm...should I name names?
I will say that the people I don't want to see, I actually have seen. One girl is married to a complete buffoon so I figure it doesn't matter what she did to me, her life stinks. It does. He doesn't help at home at all, and he is really a dufus. She is the main bread winner, too. Basically, to get ahead, she sold her soul to the devil, which involved dumping on my during the worst time in my life in order for her to get ahead. She has no concious or compassion apparently.

The other two are just so mean spirited. One lady didn't tell me about medical reimbursement until the boss finally made her so she had to back pay me. She would also hold my expense checks. Nice, huh. That chick had control issues and didn't want me in the job I was in. She didn't want it. She just didn't want me in it. I saw her the other day at a store and gave her a big wave. She looked away really quickly.

Now mind you, when I saw these people I was as pleasant as possible because I'm not letting them make me into a bad person. Move on. Leave it behind.

So are there people I really don't want to see again. Not really. Just prefer it if I don't! LOL! But who really cares. Life is too short to let them in my daily life or thought process!

Thankful thought of the day: My dear scrapbooking friends! I have two girlfriends who I absolutely love getting together with and scrapbooking. We share our lives and our art. It's wonderful! We are going on three crops together after Christmas. Now that is a great time!

Another Layout, Tracy Beck and Chat

Sweet Bliss Confectionary by Tangie Baxter; filter by Optik Verve; font It's Just Me Again Down Here

For some reaon, I kept calling this kit Sweet Shoppe. I must be retarded. It's Sweet Bliss Confectionary!

Hey, Tracy Beck is having a chat tonight over at The Scrapping Garden featuring her kit Talk Turkey 2. If you buy her kit, on sale for $2.00, make a lo, you get the elements for free. Chat is at 8:00pm tonight. Be sure to check it out!

Have you made your Christmas cards yet? Just wondering... seems to be alot of chatter about it on the various scrapping boards. Great templates available at Cottage Arts I made one a while back I was going to use, but I don't like the picture of me. I look frumpy! So I think there's going to be a redo!

Princess Lala asks: What are five things you've eat today?
That's easy as all I've had so far is coffee. Although, I'm about to go have some raisin toast, whole wheat of course.

What am I thankful for today? Gas logs! When I got up this morning, it was 30 deg. outside. I know for some of you northern gals that is not a big deal, but for us Southern folks, we are FREEZING! So I have my gas logs cranked, and it is getting nice and toasty in here! My cats are on the sofa by me, soaking up the warmth.

I'm also doing laundry, but who wants to talk about that?

Sweet Shoppe and A Good Laugh

First off, I do love pink. I have found in my retail experiences that chicks either like it or don't like it. There doesn't seem to be any middle ground. Are you a pink girl? My dd is a pink girl.

When Tangie Baxter released Sweet Shoppe, I had to get it. It's definitely "pretty in pink". It's a Christmas kit, but I didn't use it for that.


Digi credits: Tangie Baxter Sweet Shoppe & Mystery Case #1.

And now on to Princess Lala's question:
What are five names you would like if you were going to change your name?
Oh, that's hard isn't it.
1. Laura - I've always liked that name. That was my great-grandmother's name.
2. Catherine - I just have always liked the name Catherine, but not with a K.
3. Canady - It's pronounced like Kennedy. I think it is dignified.
4. Mary Margaret - What a great name! And have to use both. Not just one!
5. Keiran - pronounced Kee-ran. Guess it's probably good I didn't name myself.

And now on to my thankful thought of the day:
I'm thankful for a good laugh. Like this one my friend sent me yesterday, which relates to a similar cake incident she had. Her cake said "Happy Birtday". H must have had the day off.

The story:

Arkansas Wal Mart bakery special------home of falling prices----and IQ's

We had a "going away" party yesterday for a lady at our Little Rock
claim office. One of the supervisors called a Wal-Mart and ordered the
cake. He told them to write: "Best Wishes Suzanne" and underneath that
write "We will miss you". As the picture shows, it didn't quite turn out
right. It was too funny not to keep it though!

Pep Rally and Games with Tangie Baxter

Dd's squad at the recent pep rally doing their routine from UCA camp which they enhanced. The original won them HOME POM and helped them win best overall squad at camp! These girls are mega talented, and this whole routine was made by them...no fancy choreographers cuz we are a country school with no money. Big kudos to them. They are awesome!

OMG! I had so much fun today getting to award two prizes from Tangie Baxter. One was a $5GC. All people had to do was go to Tangie's store and tell me what their favorite product was. I love seeing what everyone else loves. CarrieK was the lucky winner of that over at DST.



The Mystery Case was the other prize I got to give out, which Madi won. Just had to post on my blog! Yeah!

Dh and ds picked the winners for me. So a big shout out to them for their help in making someone's day!

And a big shout out to Tangie for being so generous with all her CT members and letting us be a part of NDSD.



Last but not least, a little photo from Friday night. DD and her co-captain, Jamie. Aren't they cuties!

Princess Lala asks: Who are five people from history you wish you could meet.
1. Jesus Christ. No doubt about this one.
2. Joseph. Love to hear more about his life with a son such as Jesus.
3. George Washington. Exactly what did the founding fathers really have on their mind say about Freedom of Speech? Would they include hate speeches in that? I really wonder how far they thought it would go.
4. Rosa Parks. Changed the world in which we live. Must have been some kinda woman!
5. Betty Grable. Why not? Famous for her legs. Great movies. Let's chat and hear what it was like for you. Gotta have some fluff every now and then. Everything can't be serious, right!

And for me, thankful in November:
I'm thankful for my mother's dog, Blackberry, who is dying of cancer. When my mother died, he had to go live with my brother as I had 4 dogs and he only had 1 at the time. This dog was the sweetest dog in the world and protected my mother and loved her. Unfortunately, he is being put to sleep tomorrow. But he has lived a very full and spoiled doggy life with much love and compassion. He deserves his rest.

Scrapstreet Nov. Resident of the Month

Looky! Looky! I hang at Scrapstreet all the time, and I'm the November Resident of the Month. I'm so tickled, and thrilled, and honored. So a special thanks to all the girlies over there. Y'all got game! LOL!


Digi credits:
Tangie Baxter Autumn Forest Floor Paper Bundle, Tangie Baxter Autumn Forest Floor 2, Miss Mint Recycling Bin Bits, Jessica Bolton Eclectic Scraps

Playing with Tangie Baxter's stuff while completing some more lo's for my mom's wedding album. At least this memorabilia is preserved for future generations because it was really degenerating!



Digi credits: Bountiful Blessings Collaboration Pak at CottageArts.net; Template available to newsletter subscribers only so click on the link on my sidebar and get subscribed!



Digi credits: It's Raining Men!Embellies & Paper Pack, Template by Jen Caputo.

I so love playing with Beth's stuff. Her papers are so rich and textured. Her embellies are just so original. Don't you just love the guy with the barbell???

Princess Lala asks: What are five things you do every day without fail?
1. Drink at least 2 cups of coffee. Otherwise, I just can't wake up.
2. Take a shower. I just feel gross if I don't shower every single day.
3. Pray. Without God, I am nothing.
4. Tell dh, dd, and ds, "I love you," as often as I can. It's never enough. Is it?
5. Play on my computer. It's a sickness! LOL!

And don't forget, I'm posting something I am thankful for every day during November:
I am thankful for my pt Christmas job. They had a sale for us over the weekend, and I got some Christmas shopping started. We got the sale price, the regular employee discount, and an additional discount, even on clearance items! This makes Christmas affordable and our goal is cash only again this year!

Pub Links and Questions

I have three lo's in the Scrapstreet E-zine. Two I submitted and one they asked me to create because they needed a lo for an article!
(1) Snack Stix for Snack Attack article by Lori Burdeshaw.
(2) Catnap Anyone for Scrap Naps by Lindsay Krauss.
(3) Dribbles for Bits for Pet Park by Michelle Boeckermann. This was the article that Michelle requested I make a lo for! My first request! It's very exciting.

I hope you will click through the rest of the mag and check out the upcoming calls, too.

Princess Lala asks about the latest 5 movies we have seen...
(1) RV...it was playing on tv.
(2) Zur something about that game in space. Can't even remember what it was called!
(3) Maid in Manhattan. T.V. again.
(4) Bad News Bears. DVD w/ Billy Bob Thornton
(5) Georgia Rules. Rental. Lindsay Lohan looks rode hard and put up wet.

And for November: something to be thankful for at the end of each blog posting.
Today I am thankful for naps. I was tired from working and running errands. My nap was a treat! What are you thankful for today?