Just Jen

Ho Ho Ho in February

My goal to scrap the last vacation before the next one starts will not be met this time. (sigh)

I'm giving up the goal realizing that I should just be thankful we get them often...but I was planning on working on them up until we leave again, but it looks like I might want to transfer back to Christmas before I loose the spirit. Finished a page this morning about the festive feel of the theme parks at the holidays (closeup here, see the full page in my Vacation pages gallery) and it put me in the mood for Christmas - my scrapbooking nemesis. Maybe that and a little Olympic hockey this afternoon will do that trick?  Go Team USA!

And can you believe tomorrow is the start of March?

Can't decide if I like the short month of February or not.

Quote for today...

"You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it come true. You may have to work for it, however."- Richard Bach

New favorite page I finished last night.

Inspired by Studio Calico Sunday Sketch Challenge on their blog.

Love those seals! They look like they are having fun if you ask me.

Kind of hard to scrap Sea World pics right now,  but I'm looking at it as therapy. (and on a side note, Ben is just fine after the tragic events  - he thinks he could help the killer whales somehow. 'Might have been something in the water, mom.' Gosh, I love him)

So I'm obviously digging into my vacation pictures and I'm also trying a new strategy - I'm NOT combining them all into a bunch of double page layouts this time, but a whole pile of single pagers (no laughing Ms. Kathy - I know you saw the piles and shook your head), but I want to change the focus a bit and have more room to play with papers and designs a little more.

Is it possible I may be sorry I did this? Yes. But it's all about playing and creating right? (I hope so.)

Grateful week 8

Continuing with my weekly post in 2010 of something I'm grateful for...

Teachers. What a thankless job. And I'm continually mystified by the percentage of parents that look at this as a daycare and do not get involved in what their kids do. That single fact is what makes this job so thankless, unforgiving and undesirable. And talk about a position that should be held in the highest of esteems! They are training our future! And this lack of involvement is what makes it hard for kids of involved parents to learn...

okay, maybe this is coming off more like a rant than a statement of gratefulness. Now stepping off my soapbox on the issue.

I am very grateful for what all these teachers do. So far I've seen them give nothing but their best amidst the frustration and I admire them as well as greatly appreciate them for that.

We met Tilikum

In Sea World this past December. This picture was from that trip, although I don't know if this is that trainer that died but I know this is not the big whale.

I remember commenting on how big Tilikum was when they featured him. Wow. He didn't do any of the trainer tricks -  he was the splash guy.

This is a pretty big event at my house today. We went to both Sea World parks in the second half of last year. All in honor of supporting my self-proclaimed future marine biologist son who seems to be churning all this over in his head quite a bit today. 

Is he thinking that this job is dangerous now?  Or is his complex mind wondering what the scientists missed in seeing the behaviors in the whale that caused this?

I'm afraid to ask.

I hope it hasn't squashed his dreams somehow, though. (sigh)

Like the Peace Corps...

Parenting is the toughest job you'll ever love.

That is a great description of my day today.

Parent teacher conferences and a very hormonal 10 year old boy don't mix well...

...but I have hope they will end with great results.

Hard to tell my baby boy that he needs to take ownership of his life and be responsible when I secretly wish I could just hold him in my arms and craddle away all the frustrations for him.

I do.

His pain is my pain in so many ways.

(sigh)

One way to get through the cold weather

Scrap something that is bright and cheery and makes you think of warm weather!

Used the latest Studio Calico kit Bakers Dozen on this one. Don't you just adore the banner paper?  It's a Studio Calico exclusive design!  I sure hope that the latest banner craze isn't just a fad - banners are so fun and festive for so many things!

Anyways - hope I have enough warm pictures to get me to spring!

No right to complain, but...

I can't help it!  A weekend forecast like this leaves a lot to be desired!  (sigh)  Now I know alot of you in midwest and east coast are rolling your eyes. I'm a winter pansy - I own it. Work with me here.  I know you 'feel' me here. Is it Spring yet? (pout)

Friday Feb 19  Energy Efficiency Flurries High 38°F Low 25°F Precip:   30%     Wind:   S at 11 mph UV Index:   2 Low Humidity:   68%     Sunrise:   6:47 AM Sunset:   5:42 PM   Variably cloudy with light snow flurries possible. High 38F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.

Saturday 20  Flu Activity Map Snow High 34°F Low 21°F Precip:   70%     Wind:   SE at 9 mph UV Index:   2 Low Humidity:   74%     Sunrise:   6:46 AM Sunset:   5:43 PM    close  details Cloudy with snow showers becoming a steady accumulating snow later on. Cold. High 34F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 70%. Snow accumulating 1 to 2 inches.

Sunday 21  Pollen: Early Spring? Snow Shower High 30°F Low 20°F Precip:   40%     Wind:   ENE at 8 mph UV Index:   2 Low Humidity:   73%     Sunrise:   6:44 AM Sunset:   5:44 PM   Snow showers possible. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the low 20s.

Last Updated Friday, Feb 19, 7:15 AM Mountain Standard Time

Enjoying the Olympics?

We have been watching them every night. All I can say is Wow. The human body is amazing. Really makes you believe we can do anything.

So here's a funny for today. I was LOL. 

Further proof I'm slightly OCD

When I find something I like I get a bit obsessive.  Like the Sketchy Thursdays site... haven't missed doing one of these sketches since I found them.  Really, they have great taste in picking these. Always makes me look forward to Thursdays which are typically such a boring day of the week.

 

Here's the LO I did with this weeks sketch and the brand new Studio Calico kit. I never use these colors - but they were so fun here! And there simply isn't enough number paper out there I say... can't you just feel the countdown? (even if I was the only one awake at the stroke of midnight - sigh)

So I'm slightly OCD... I own it. So we're good. :-)