Here in Texas we do things a "little" bit different!

This is my neighborhood.

Snow covered.

Icey.

Quiet. (except for the hum of the vacuum cleaner)

As everyone in the Country knows...well, since Super Bowl is "near" here this week, Dallas got snow.

It started on Monday, January 31st. I brought my daughter and her friend to school just like always...it was going to be a BEAUTIFUL day, because well, it was a MONDAY! I knew the weather was going to go downhill fast, and was heading to the store for groceries to keep us fed for the next week. I didn't think the bad weather would actually hit us until Wednesday....I was so, SO wrong!

During the late hours of Monday Night and early hours of Tuesday Morning the ice came...and it hit us. I didn't think it was that bad, honestly. But there I sat on Tuesday morning waiting to see what the news was with school. I sat and sat and sat. And then I saw, Allen ISD is closed. Okay, I'll go back to bed, and that's what I did.

We watched the weather all day on Tuesday thining it couldn't get any worse. But you guessed it, it did. The roads were all iced over and nothing was moving...well, 18-wheelers were, but everything at my house? We were at a standstill. Noone in, Noone out. Fine, that's just one day right? I continued to watch the News to see what was happening...also checking into Facebook. And that is when I saw it. Allen ISD is closed. That meant two Snowdays in a Row (okay, Ice Days). We have NEVER, since Sarah has been in school (10th Grader here now) have had TWO Snow (Ice) Days in a ROW!

Wednesday Morning...guess what we woke up to. SNOW. Just a dusting. That's what they said we could expect. Yeah, dusting. I posted some pictures of the "dusting" that we got. Yeah...dusting.

To make a REALLY long story short...School has been closed since Monday. Every day at around 5:15 i'd get a phone call from the school or email, saying that school would be canceled the following day. We are up to FOUR right now. Wonder what's going to happen next week!

ALMOST forgot!

Here in Texas the teenagers are pretty resourceful! Or could it be the parents are, and had to figure a way out to entertain their teenage sons! I went out to take some photos of my snow covered yard the other day and saw some kids being taken for rides on a big raft and being pulled by an SUV. Then I saw the neighbor kids taking rides on another neighbors ATV.

Here are some pics!






I saw the Raft go down the street and secretly hoped it would be back quickly! I REALLY wanted to go for a ride! And I'd do it too!...But alas....they didn't come back. Wonder if I can talk Simon into go to the store for a raft and some rope...those would be some AWESOME pictures!

Does It Snow in Texas???

Okay, so every now in then I look at the box to the left to see who visits me, where they are from, and what they are searching for. One of the Topics I see most is, "Does it Snow in Texas?"

The Answer: Yes.

Proof is in the photos....

Isn't he a cute kitty!

Okay so I LOVE cats! Always have, always will!

I LOVE to scrapbook my cats. Always have, always will!

So yesterday I was surfing arounda and found this cat-> -> -> -> ->
and I KNEW I had to have him come visit my blog for a little bit! Turn up your volume, he purrs! Move the mouse around, he follows it. Put the mouse above his head he reaches for it. Put the mouse on his tail, and it flops up and down.

Okay, so at least I thought it was CUTE!

Have a GREAT DAY!!!

Jill

Happy Wednesday!

Those that are close to me know that Wedneday is my MOST FAVORITE day of the week! Yes, it ranks up there above Friday! What's so special about Wednesday? It's Weight Watcher Wednesday of course!

Weight Watcher Wednesday comes every week! It's the day that I get to drive to my Local (ok, not local for me) WW Meeting. You might be thinking what's so great about going to Weight Watchers. You're going to get weighed? Your going to a meeting? You're going to see if what you did (or didn't) do showed up on the scale? Yes, Yes, and Yes.

Weight Watcher Wednesday is MORE than that to me! Yes, I go get weighed and I see the results of my efforts for the week. Yes, I go to my meeting, and I learn something new (almost) every week. And after reading that you might still think what is SO great about going to your Weight Watcher meeting?

It's simple. It's the friends that I have made while I have been going. Sure, I drive to my meeting alone. And sometimes I walk through that door alone, but I don't attend my meeting alone. I meet a LOT of friends there that are going through the same thing I am. They are battling the same issues, and we sort of help each other through it.

My WW friends are VERY, very Special to me!

There are about eight of us...I say eight because sometimes that number changes! But we meet at the meeting. Okay, sometimes we meet in the parking lot BEFORE the meeting. Then we walk into the meeting, grab our seat (yes, we all sit together!) and we weigh in. We are a very entertaining bunch, and well to be honest, I don't think our Meeting would be the same if we weren't there! You NEVER know what one of us is going to say, or do!

After our meeting if it's nice outside we go for a walk. Now if it's cold? Forget it! We don't do cold. Or REALLY hot for that matter! After our walk we go to lunch and we recharge for the week.

It's NOT just a "Weight Watcher Meeting", what we have is a "Weight Watcher Day"! We ALL look forward to seeing each other every week! we check up on each other, text each other, we support each other! We are friends that were brought together through Weight Watchers.

So you see Weight Watchers works in MORE than one way! Weight Watcher's brought me to a great bunch of friends!

Have a GREAT day!

Jill

Starting Over.

That's what it feels like. Starting over. Yes, it's a New Year. Well okay, not really because we are like 22 days into it and I'm just getting things really back to normal here (whatever "normal" is!).

December came and went FAST! And it was a busy time, for everyone! But you know I honestly don't know what I did during that month, other than get ready for Christmas. So HAPPY that's it's January. Back to "Normal".

The decorations were put up in the attic early this year. If it was up to me and my daughter they would still be out. And yes, I would still turn on my christmas lights. My neighbors might not be happy, but I would! I remember one year that I left my Christmas Tree up through February. I even turned the lights on. One of my neighbors asked me then when I was going to take it down. Because you know, Christmas was over. I told her soon....(maybe?). That neighbor moved away...wonder why? I really don't think me keeping my Christmas Tree had anything to do with!

I've also decided to change a few things. No more DARK Background. No more BRIGHT Background. No more BUSY Background. Just plain old me. For awhile at least until I find something that I really, REALLY like! To those of you that know me....well I know that's not normal either! lol

Normal.

Nah...why be Normal!

I'm just going to have fun being ME!

Have a GREAT DAY!

Jill

You know how it is when you submit...

a Design Team Application right?

You second guess yourself. You wonder if you are good enough. You wonder if your projects are good enough. You wonder if they like your style. You just wonder.

Well, that is how I am right now.

Wondering.

I decided to throw myself into the circle of people submitting for the Teresa Collins Design Team. I haven't been on a team since Rusty Pickle last year, so I thought it was about time for me to get back into it.

And here I sit wondering.

So...I thought you know I have these three projects that I made for this call. Why not post them here on my blog. These projects were done really, really quickly because yours truly didn't read everything word for word. Yeah...I sort of skim over things, especially important details! LOL. One of those things I skimmed over was the part where you were to send in three projects. Well, I thought they were ANY three projects, so I was good right? Nope. Three projects that used products from Teresa Collins. Okay, so I have layouts and things with her products, but nothing totally or even close to 100%. So what's a girl to do other than start from scratch and make some things.

I decided to do one layout, well...okay so I started a card at the same time, but I like the way that my layout turned out so that's the one I submitted. It was an easy layout, and I LOVE it. I Love this photo of my daughter. It's like she's saying "Here's a flower mommy. For you!" I LOVE the colors of the paper and think that they all compliment the photo I used. But that's my opinion! (lol)


My next project is a Acrylic Shakerbox Frame from Darcie's. When I saw this at the store last week I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it! I wanted to use the Mr. and Mrs. Line to make a Shakerbox with a photo of my husband and me on our wedding day (our anniversary is next week!). So that's what I did. I made the flowers and used a combination of Teresa Collins Bling and Bazzill Bling Buttons to embellish it and added a crown to match the paper. Since it is a shaker box it has some Vintage Glass Glitter (Tuxedo) which is REALLY Pretty! I could sit and just shake the box and it just looks pretty!



My final project that I made is a Canvas. For this project i turned the canvas over and used the back side of it. First I painted the entire Canvas with black paint, and then the wooden edge that the canvase is streched on was glittered. I LOVE glitter! I made the flowers for this project also, added the bling buttons to them, added a BUNCH of rhinestones (cause I LOVE rhinestones). The letter "f" is also glittered. The entire project has been placed on chipboard in varying heights so each piece pops up at different degrees. I couldn't decide what paper to use so I decided to combine "everything".



So there you have it.

I entered.

What can they say? No...well at least I tried!

Thanks for looking!

Posting a Project!

A few weeks ago I thought that i would make a canvas for a little retreat that I was going on and this is what I came up with.


The picture isn't that great (I'll try and get a better one) because it's sort of cloudy out. But, I wanted to get it up here to share!

Have a great day!



Jill

What am I Thankful for Today?

Weight Watcher Wednesday!!!

Well that's what today is known as around here! Every Wednesday I go to my Weight Watcher Meeting, some days I have a GREAT weigh in, and some days I don't. Today was one of those days that I was very, VERY happy! 1.6 pounds down. Yeah!!!

I love my meetings. I feel lost if I don't go to them. It's like an addiction, okay, NOT an addiction. But if I don't go to my Wednesday Meeting I just feel a little "off" for the week.

It's NOT only my meetings though, it's the friends I have made through the meeting. I LOVE the ladies that I go to the meeting with (okay, we meet there). But you know, they are like "family" to me...my Weight Watcher Family.

Every Wednesday we go to our meeting, sit in the back row together, "participate" in the meeting (that means "talk"). After the meeting we sometimes go walk a few times (or once) around the lake, or we go to Michael's and then we go to lunch at Jason's Deli (Salad, of course!). We talk, we laugh, and we offer support to each other.

And that is what I am Thankful for today! My Weight Watcher Wednesday Friends! (well, they're my friends EVERY day, but that's when we go to our meetings).

Have a GREAT day!

JILL

Thankful...

What am I THANKFUL for today?

I am THANKFUL that I have a loving husband who supports me in everything I do (okay, maybe NOT everything, but a lot of stuff!)

I am THANKFUL that I have a beautiful daughter who loves me.

I am THANKFUL that I have SO many supportive friends.

I am THANKFUL that I have a house to live in, a car to drive, and clothes to wear (smaller clothes too!)

I am THANKFUL that I have a wonderful hobby that I can use to tell my families story.

Happy November!

Yes, I do mean HAPPY NOVEMBER! November is a Happy Month for me because it's filled with wonderful things like scrapbooking, football playoffs, scrapbooking, Weight Watcher Wednesday's, scrapbooking, Thanksgiving....did I mention scrapbooking?

Scrapbooking! Yes, that is the plan for this week. And I start tomorrow morning! I'm heading to Anthologies (http://www.Anthologiesbyme.com) for a little bit of shopping before I create something special for my house! I have had this project on my mind for a few weeks now and I REALLY want to get it completed, so I have set aside tomorrow to begin it. I can't wait! If it turns out like I want it to it's going to be BEAUTIFUL!

Can't wait to share it with everyone!

Happy Saturday!

Okay, so yeah...I know I was going to post pictures of Sarah's Mum and stuff but the day has sort of gotten away from me.

It all started out fine. I woke up at 7:15, fed the cats, ate breakfast and made my grocery list. But I didn't leave the house until after 11:00 which is NOT what I wanted to do. I wanted to be out by 9:00. You see, I have something VERY important to do tonight! I'm going scrapbooking! And I CANNOT WAIT! only a few more hours, or minutes depending on when I want to leave.

I was trying to figure out what I wanted to work on and since I usually don't get very much done at crop I thought that i would organize my photos and work on cutting out some Cricut Images. I can use up a LOT of time doing that! So I'm HAPPY!

I've started to pack my car and only have a few more things to load. Okay...three. My Rolly Tote, my Toolbox and another bag that has my photos in it.

I think I'm just happy because I'm starting to get organized. And being organized can make a LOT of people happy!

So Tomorrow I will post pictures of Sarah's Mum. You should have SEEN some them they were HUGE! Some even had lights on them. And yes, even though they were huge all of them were beautiful!

Have a GREAT NIGHT!

Jill

These are a few of my favorite....

Scrapbook Pages!

I was going through my computer files and came across some of my favorite Scrapbook Pages.

I'm leaving in about an hour and a half for the Homecoming Football Game (Volunteering) so tomorrow I'm going to be posting pictures of my daughter with her mum!

It's going to be a fun night!

Have a Great Night!

Jill

And the Countdown Begins!

I just finished watching "Grey's Anatomy" and said I better come and do my blog post for the night. But before I came here to do that I always look over my email to see what's gong on...if anything. I opened up my email and began to browse at them and then I came to the email that said:

50 Day Countdown to Black Friday!!!

I have 50 Days!

Okay, so I'm not a Big Black Friday shopper anymore. Sarah is now 15 1/2 and I don't need to stand in line at Toy's R Us anymore. What she wants is at Sephora, or Buckle, or Victoria's Secret. And Simon, well he and I discuss what he wants anyway and what he wants you can get whenever you go to the Mall. Let's see...who is the most important person to shop for on Black Friday?

ME.

Yes, me.

But forget about Black Friday. The store that I want to go to is open on Thanksgiving Day. I've gone every year for the last three years and I've been the first one in line too. What store could have things that I want? Micheal's of course!

I go to Michael's at least three time a week. I have coupons in hand and I have my credit card. But I don't usually buy a thing. Usually I just go and look around, see if there is anything new...okay I go to get out of the house! BUT! On Thanksgiving Day they have SUPER SPECIALS! What are they? I can't tell you because if I did you might want to buy them and not leave any for me! (lol) Okay, Okay. Cricut Cartridges and Storage. Now I'm not sure that these are even going to be on special, but they have the past three years and if they are that is what I am going to buy.

It's 50 Days from Today!

amd tomorrow it's 49. It's going to be here before you know it!

Have a Great Day!

Jill

It only took a few hours....

Let's start off with a photo for some entertainment!



Okay so I'm a scrapbooker and I should be use to this. I just spent about four hours uploading, editing and ordering photos.

This year for my albums I'm doing something different. Well not totally different. I use to do this a long time ago when I first started to scrapbook. What is it? Going Chronological. Yikes...sounds scary. After years of jumping around in my books and just letting my choices wander I've decided to go back to Chronological Scrapbooking.

Oh it get's worse....

I can't go back and work on previous years until I am all caught up with the present year.

So I guess I should admit the truth here...I am seven years behind. Yes...seven. How can anyoen who scrapbooks as much as I do be seven years behind you may wonder. It's easy...it's called Design Teams. I put so much work and emphasis on Design Team Work and getting published and entering contests that I sort of neglected my scrapbooking. I've been digging myself into a hole and I finally decided one day to try and get myself out. So that brings me to today....

While I was at Creative Escape one of the teachers, Maggie Holmes, told us to go home and do something that we have been putting off. I didn't have to think very long...I KNEW what I had been putting off. My pictures. They are a mess, and I admit that. So today I decided that I was going to start to do something about it.

I have gone through all of my 2010 Photos to date (all 1,091 of them to date) copied them off of Picasa, safely stored them in "several" places and ordered 360 photos that had not been printed off yet. And this weekend I am going to start to get my scrapbooking life in order.

I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Now about that photo that's above...yes that's my Scrapbook Room. and I will admit that's it's that messy on purpose! A few years ago a local radio station was having a contest for the Messiest Room and i decided to enter. So...I trashed my scrapbook room! Trust me! It's REALLY NOT like that!

Oh, and I didn't win...yes, there was a room that was messier than mine! Can you BELIEVE that!

Have a great night!

Jill

List of Blogs!

Finally found a few minutes tonight to copy the blog list for those that are participating in the "31 Days of October Blog Challenge". Here they are!


Karen: http://www.thelopezlife.typepad.com

Tricia: http://momentstosharewithme.blogspot.com/

Sherri: Blog: http://myordinarylifemorrisway.blogspot.com/

Christina: http://www.christinachrushch.typepad.com/

Jodi: http://scrapsofpaperinthedesert.blogspot.com/

Janice: http://janice-lifeandtimesofme.blogspot.com/

Alecia: http://scrapmepink.blogspot.com/


Have a Great Night!

Jill

And Now a Word from Our Sponsor....

Okay, it's not our sponsor it's my husband! (well, it's close to a sponsor right?). If you have a few minutes to answer a few questions for my hubby it would be greatly appreciated! And if enough of y'all do it maybe he'll let me go on the next Tim Holtz Cruise which is next September!

Thanks!!!

Just click and follow the link or copy and paste!

http://www.anncornelius.com/survey.html

Just Another Manic Monday.....

No, not really. Actually today has been pretty calm "so far". Who am I kidding! It's 8:49 p.m. and I'm going to bed soon, so yeah it's been a pretty MELLOW Day!

I usually get up at 5:00 a.m. to get Sarah up for school, but somehow today my alarm went off and I shut it off and woke up at 5:36 a.m. Jumped out of bed, woke Sarah up, made her her breakfast and the went and laid on the couch until she left for school. Simon asked me if I wanted some coffee and I said, "No, not now...maybe in a few minutes". Good thing cause it wasn't made yet.

The rest of my day included a three hour nap, going to Subway for the Sub of the Day Special (Five Points on Weight Watchers can't beat that!), pickin up Sarah and her friend from school, buying cat food, going to Market Street, cooking dinner, dropping Sarah off at Band Practice, going home to see Simon for five minutes, going to Walmart, going back to pick Sarah and her friend up from Band Practice and coming home. And here I am...in my jammies and getting ready to go to bed, but only after I surf the web and play a few games on facebook.

But before I go I thought I'd post some more photos from yesterday's visit to The State Fair of Texas.

This is Sarah and Simon enjoying their Corny Dog...

Sarah sitting in the Driver's Seat of the Car that she "THINKS" she's getting for her 16th Birthday...see I said she "THINKS!"

I had to take a Picture of Sarah after she got out of the "Fried Cookie Dough" line. She was SO upset and sad because they had ran out right before she go to the counter.


But then there was happiness again because she found "Fried Cheesecake". I should have taken a picture of her when her dad starting eating the Cheesecake with her. She thought it was only hers....oh well, not in this house.


Until Tomorrow's Adventure...that is if I feel like an adventure. Sometimes I just want to stay at home!

Jill

State Fair of Texas!

It happens every year. I know it's going to happy. I don't really enjoy going, but I know everyone else wants to go. It was time for the Cornelius Family to go to the State Fair of Texas. We just decided yesterday that we were going to go today. Well the truth is, it was either go today or wait until next week and I made the "executive" decision to go today. (that way it would be over with! lol)

Whenever we go the the State Fair we each one of us gets to choose one thing that we REALLY want to do. Simon usually wants to go to the Vita-Mix booth. Sarah usually want to play games. And me? well I just really want to stay home, but since that wasn't going to happen I chose to have a Corny Dog this time.

First stop: Vita-Mix. Yes, every year we go to this booth. Every year we hear thier sales pitch. Every year we take down recipes so that we can use our machine at home more. So that's what we did. Usually Simon brings some paper and a pen to write down the recipes. This year before we left the house I told sarah, "daddy forgot the paper and pen, that means we don't have to write down the recipes". I thought i was in for the clear! But, was I? No. You see...I forgot that he had his phone. And he not only typed them into his phone but he ALSO sent them to me so that I would have them. Note for next year: Leave the phones at home.

Second stop: Sarah's stop. Okay so usually she wants to play games or ride some rides or something that you know teenagers want to do. Well I once again forgot that there is something that Sarah REALLY likes to do. What's that you may ask? Shop. Yes, she wanted to shop at the State Fair. So she did. I followed her around to make sure that she had enough money and to make sure that I knew what she was buying. I don't like surprises when she comes back from shopping, know what I mean?

MY TURN! Corn Dogs. After everyone else was done making there chosen stops I got to have mine! CORNY DOGS for EVERYONE! Plus I had all the coupons for the Corn Dogs so that I had to go with me if they wanted one. Note for next year: make sure that I keep ALL the coupons again!

So everyone got to do what they wanted to at the State Fair. Simon and Sarah also went to see the Car Show, I sat outside and read a book, we walked around a lot! Sarah had Corn Nuggest, Simon had a Gyro and I had my Corn Dog.

There was just one thing that we didn't do at the Fair. We DIDN'T ride a single ride. Looks like I might be heading back someday so that i can ride some rides! Oh well...there's alwasy next year!

Jill

These are a few of my favorite things!

(Just noticed that the date still says Friday, October 1. But here in Texas it's October 2)

No this isn't Julie Andrews singing in the "Sound of Music". It's me, and it's October 2nd...or what I will call Day Two of the 31 Days of October Blog Challenge. But I have to be honest here! It's just past midnight. Okay it's 12:51 a.m. on Saturday Morning so it's either Friday Night or Saturday Morning...depending on how you look at it!

Today I thought I'd post a list of my FAVORITE things! (not too many I promise because I want to go to bed!)

So here goes:

Favorite Pizza: Mushroom. yes, Mushroom. But we NEVER order what I want. You know how it goes don't you? You go to a restaurant with your family and everyone else gets what THEY want! I rarely get the kind of pizza that I like and if I did it would be Mushroom! YUMMMMM!!!

Favorite Soda: Diet Dr. Pepper. I live in Texas afterall! And no. I've never been to the Dr. Pepper Museum in Waco...but I want too!

Favorite Candy Number #1: Reese's Peanut Buter Cups. And I pop the whole thing in my mouth!

Favorite Candy Number #2: Cherry Lifesavers. And I have a HUGE Stash of them. I have to hide them on my daughter though.

Favorite Hobby: Ummmmm...do you know me? Scrapbooking!

Favorite Color: Pink of Course! But I was told the other day that you can't wear pink unless you are under the age of 18. I have to argue with this though.

Favorite TV Show: Okay, I have several. I like Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, Biggest Loser and yes, I have been know to watch Hell's Kitchen. I LOVE Chef Ramsey.

Favorite Movie/Book: Twilight of course! Team Edward. And yes, I go to the movie on Opening Night. I'm one of those Twilight Mom's who get there three hours before the movie starts to get my seat. And I've gone by myself to two of the three movies.

I think that's all for now. Like I said (or maybe didn't say?), I just got home from a Football Game and it's now 1:00 a.m. It's time to go to bed and get some rest before tomorrow's activity. Marching Competition Number One! Should be a fun day spent with the Color Guard!

Have a great day (or night?)

Jill

YES!!! It's October!

So HAPPY that's it's October! Yes, REALLY happy!

Why?

Well, lot's of stuff goes on in September and it's not a very happy month for me so I'm glad that it's gone!

What's so great about October? Hmmm...lots of stuff! The weather is Changing! Which means i can open my windows (just a little bit!). Halloween is coming and I LOVE HALLOWEEN! It's just that it's Fall! And it's one of my favorite times of the year!

SO GOODBYE September and HELLO October!

Another GREAT thing about October is that I've joined a Blog Challenge! Yes, me. The one who does't Blog for a long time and then comes back for only a bit, and then leaves again. I decided to join the Blog Challenge from Scrapbook Doodle (Scrapbookdoodle.com). A lot of the ladies there are going ot be participating so tomorrow (this afternoon? or tonite?) I'll get links of those participating and post them here.

I thought that by participating in this Challenge it would get me back to doing things that I love to do. Like Scrapbooking? YES! I'm not quite sure what each day is going to bring but at least I will be making an effort to add a little bit more creativity to my day! It might be a picture, or a project, or quote, a recipe or even a link to something that I saw that I liked. But I'm going to be post EVERY day!

So what's today going to bring?

Hmmm...How about a Quote!

Here goes!!!

"Never Walk Away From an Unexpected Adventure"

I overhead this quote from a show that was on TV a few years ago. The Show was called "October Road" (Title of that show fits this month don't you think?). Anyway, the Mother of the lead actor told him this when he was young and it sort of stuck with him. And when I heard this quote I found my little notebook and immediately wrote it down. I have it on my Facebook Page I have it on a little Curio Box that I made in a Tim Holtz Class and I have it here. Maybe I should do another project with the Quote and hang it in my scrapbook room. But the thing is, I really do LOVE this quote. It's one that I think about a lot, and it's the one quote that I thought of when I went to the Grand Canyon all by myself and walked on the Skywalk. We all should NEVER walk away from Unexpected Adventures!

And that is what October is Going to be to me. An Unexpected Adventure! I think it's going to be a fun one!