December Paper Camellia Sneaks

Hey! Where have you been? Where have I been? I have lots of little this n' that's to share with you after we had much needed visitors over the holiday week... (yay!) but I thought I'd pop in quickly today to share some PC sneaks since tomorrow is reveal day. (I'll share my Thanksgiving week with you once I get a handle on editing some of the terrible photos I took using my cell phone.)

I'll reveal the rest tomorrow... on reveal day. :) I also need to share my Me: November project (which is on my desk and will be completed after kid's bedtime... just in the nick of time, eh?) .....annnnd my annual grateful layout... so tonight I'll binge on Gilmore Girls while Hottie works late and put the finishing touches on those things so I can post them soon.

Oh! Ooo! Ooo! I also haven't shown you my office makeover, or Evareaux's bedroom paint! Oh! So much to share!! Stay tuned.

It's Derby: I'm In Love

I am officially back in love with roller derby. Like deep, romanic, obsessive, can't get enough, love. For a few months there I was kinda losing my crush... I began to dread practices, pick myself apart. The joy was gone. It just wasn't fun anymore (hello depression, stop messing with my roller derby high). However, once I ramped up practices this month things started to turn back around. I was enjoying myself again. I was feeling good. I was getting better and stronger and growing confident again.

Last night we had our first bout of the new season, a just-for-fun exhibition charity bout. We choose different names than our usuals (Me: Fat Amy. Number: ACA.)(aca-genius)... For this annual Black & Blue we split the league in two and play against each other... this time we even played derby with dudes (or as I like to say: merby)(male derby).

It. Was. A. BLAST. Sometimes I can't believe how fun this sport is. It's challenging, and exhilarating, and overwhelming... but more than anything else it's just plain fun. I mean, where else can you wear undies on the outside of your pants, do crazy makeup, and show of your hot pink mermaid hair in two big piggie tails? (especially as a 32 year old mother of four). I had fun during every second of last night.

... and guess what??

The other team voted me MVP Blocker!!!!!!!!!!

(aca-believe it!)

Seriously feels so amazing. And I'm sure there's a great pic of my face too when the announcer said, "and the MVP blocker for the BLUE team goes to.... FAT AMY!"--- he's making eye contact with me and I'm like oh yeah, cool, good for Fat Amy.... OH! THAT'S ME, I'M FAT AMY! ME?!... I skate forward in shock and notice a camera flashing two feet away. I thought I had a really good game, felt "on" the entire time, but I never expected to win MVP! There is something about having your competitors hand you that trophy that makes it feel so incredibly wonderful. Validation for hard work, an effective big butt, and fighting to find the joy again.

Here's me with our team trophy. (no, we didn't drink out of it. tempting though.)

... and here was my bout makeup... (SO much fun!)

I'll share photos of the action if I get them soon. Until then, I encourage you to bring out your inner "Fat Amy." :)

Special Sneak Peaks

Last week I told you guys that I worked on some projects for Shimelle's blog recently. I figured why not share some sneak peeks? (Although I have no idea when it will go up on her site, I'll keep ya posted.) It's a good thing I was so productive with paper last week because this one has been all about painting and crossing things off the to do list. (yay! slowly but surely.) 

Anyway, here's some sneaks of a few of the pages that I made using Shimelle's American Crafts line..

Maybe next week I'll share some of my special paint projects... squeeeeeeeeal!

Round Here Lately

I've been sharing a lot of scrappy stuff lately... which is cool and great and kind of what I started this blog for.. but I also like to share overshare about what's going on in my life too. I haven't done that in awhile. So here's what's going on round here lately.... this is a lot of really random stuff. You've been warned.

Last week. The first time I've ever seen Hottie mow. We own a lawn mower, we're officially adults now I guess. ;)

This week. Winter wonderland. Ev can't wait to make a snow angel. I LOVE the snow. I love watching it come down and coat the ground. The only down side of snow for me is driving in it. That's no fun and very nerve racking if the roads aren't clear. Snow also makes me want to decorate for Christmas, like now. I've never been one to deck the halls until after Thanksgiving, but if I owned a fake tree it would be up already, for sure.

Catching snowflakes while we wait for the bus.

Thanksgiving on the horizon means lists, lists, and lists giving birth to more lists. Only one thing checked off.. sounds about right. So much to do! (and I probably won't get to all of it.) I'm so super excited that I get to see my sister and nieces and brother in law next week! I'm not "ready" at all but I am sooooo ready to see and spend time with them!!!! Also, I love having a full house for Thanksgiving. It's gonna be awesome. Time to conquer the lists.

OK. So scrappy stuff is happening too. I recently worked on some projects for Shimelle's blog. I was kinda freaking out the whole time. It feels like a big deal.... I mean, she designed these things and now I'm making projects with them to promote on her blog? I'm not worthy (bowing down).

Non-scrapbook projects are happening too. I can't wait to finish so I can share. Exciting stuff. You should have seen the guy at Lowe's face when I handed him these swatches... and Hottie's face. Trust me babe, I have a plan. It's gonna be awesome..

(almost) Every day I build a pillow barrier around Dez and let him eat his breakfast on the couch. Every day he has a jealous captive audience.

This kid blew my mind by turning 18. 18! 18?! (Now get out. Just kidding. Mostly.)

When Hottie has days off we are pretty darn lazy. It's awesome.

These kids are nuts... when Dad's away the kids will play (dangerously). 

They're pretty cute when they aren't making me bonkers.

He does this little thing with his hands, clutching them together. Such a doll.

His one downfall is that he hates Target. How can anyone hate Target? (Maybe he was switched in the hospital. No kid of mine could hate Target.) He lasts like this for about 5 minutes & then wants to get out and be two all over the store (you parents know what I'm talking about.)

This guy drives me nuts too. He's a pain in my butt... but I also love his guts. I'm a little concerned about how he will act when my sister and her family come to visit. Will he bark our ears off? Will he knock my nieces over? Will he steal food off of plates and jump up? Probably yes to all of those. Oh boy. This should be fun. He's generally a good dog, but unpredictable at times and not great with visitors. Wish me luck.

I've been reading like there's no tomorrow. I don't know if it's the cold weather or the fact that I've been lucking out by picking some really good book lately. I'm all in. I find myself wanting to sneak a chapter here and there while waiting on the kids or for a meeting to start. Current Status: book nerd.

So that's the random stuff that's been going on around here lately... as far as my depression goes I'm doing ok. I have good days and bad.. good moments and bad. I'm still not all the way back to myself but I have made some strides. Every day I work towards feeling normal again and I can feel that creeping in, bit by bit. Two steps forward and one back, it feels sometimes... but mostly I'm doing better so that's good. Thanks for checking in on me today! See you soon. I have work to do.

More Project Life Pages Than You Care To See: Part Two

Hello, and welcome to the second installment of MPLPTYCTS! Super excited to have you here... and here are those pages I know you've been dying to see....

October 6 to 12.

Left.

 Right.

September 8 to 14.

Left.

Right.

September 22 to 28.

Left.

Right.

September 29 to October 5.

Left.

Right.

and here is Dezi's birthday insert that fits inside the last spread...