If You're In Love Then You Are the Lucky One

     Today hasn't been the best day migraine-wise and I still am not feeling my best so I'm going to keep it short.  I was able to check some major things off of my to-do list today.  Isn't that just the best feeling?  One of the things I have continued to work on is Oscar's minibook book.  I can't wait to actually start putting it together so that I can start posting pictures on here.  The only thing I did today was cut the paper (originally 12x12 inches) down to size (4x6).

 The colors I chose (I tried to stay towards guy colors since Oscar is a boy).

I also found some really cool paper that had 2 layers of color.

It said you could sand it and make it another color, so I tried it. 

The ones on the right are sanded.

     I also thought I'd put up some more pictures from the Mudbug Bash Saturday night.  (Not all of these pictures were taken by me.)

That last picture is the only group shot we got for the night... oh well.  At least the blurry one is cute right?

Title: "Youth" by Daughter

I Wish I Could Be Just A Little Less Dramatic

     Today has been a great day. Gosh, I really wish all of my blog posts could start like that. But seriously, today has been full of hope and accomplishments. And this is one of the reasons why I wait until the end of the day to post. I have gone TWO whole, full, normal days. I can no longer say that my full day is a normal person's half day (of work/busyness). For that I am immensely grateful and I am acutely aware that me feeling better is nothing short of a miracle. (Okay so I know it was all science but I also know that I could still be in pain and not positively reacting to the Botox and its all because of God's will for me to get better in the bigger scheme of things.)  Being better has meant finally getting new shoes, being more energetic (and happier), leaving the house for errands without a big to-do, having projects to juggle, making good on a promise to finish burning my Easter mix, and already starting on a new one (mix that is).
     My parents and I spent most of our day in Oxford.  First, shopping with my grandmother (well just my mom and I).  The absence of my dad probably explains why we ended up loosing Grandmama in the clothing department!  She was lost for at least 10, if not 20 minutes (she was in the dressing room).  Grandmama had gotten tired of waiting on us to look through all of the racks to try on some of her choices (it didn't even matter that I had all the rest of her clothes she was going to try on).  She didn't even seem worried once we found her, she didn't loose herself.  (My grandmother's made of some pretty tough stuff.)  While we were out shopping I got to try on some shoes.  I definitely felt like a little kid on Christmas morning.

Christmas in April, I'm telling you.

One happy girl right here.

Grandmama and Dad waiting ever so patient.

Will joined us for lunch and he actually didn't mind when I pulled out my phone.

We also drove around Oxford trying to figure out which house was Eli Manning's.  I lived in Oxford for almost 4 years and I had never seen that part of Oxford.  There were so many beautiful, huge houses with lots of privacy and tall, tall trees.  I kind of felt like I discovered the secret part of Oxford, which was pretty cool.
     Then we came home and I went out to Lowes, Jo-Anns, Wal-Mart (yuck), and Target (YAY!).  (Because I know you guys want to know my whole schedule.)  But there are some seriously awesome projects rambling around in my head that I'm hoping will turn out as awesome in execution as they are up in my head.  I almost went overboard at Jo-Anns (and I still feel like I may have crossed that thin, thin line), but I did put stuff back.  And I saved things for if I end up really using what I bought.
     I bought things that might help me fulfill my Resolution #2, to create a mini book centered on Oscar, our future puppy.  However, because I do not have any scrapbooking things then I definitely needed to get a few things, like paper and STAMPS and some washi paper.  When I bought the stamps I was hoping that I could possibly use all of the paint that I bought at Wal-Mart as my ink (so I didn't get any ink pads).  Once I got home I had the hardest time finding if I could actually use paint or not, until I ran across this article.  I don't know who the author is, but I have a feeling I'm going to visit this page a lot more often.  I love the look of adding small details with stamps (and washi paper).  (Again it's all about the little things.)  I also can't wait to experiment with my stamps to come up with awesome new looks (using this article as a guide).  I'm sure I'll keep you updated with every little thing I do.  I can't wait to get started.  I even bought a page cutter so I can get straight lines.  I totally feel like a scrapbooker right now (minus the fact I have yet to do anything with the supplies I bought).

I literally couldn't resist any of these, especially the cupcake one!

I didn't realize this until I took the guys out of the package, but I bought a DIY stamp.

I had to put the stamp on the wooden toggle-thingy AND line up the label on the top.

But seriously, how freaking cute are these guys?

I can't wait to use them all!

Title: "Mama's Broken Heart" by Miranda Lambert

New Additions

If you read my list of five things that made Spring Break bearable you might remember an adorable picture of a puppy. I have finally convinced my parents (whom I am living with) that we need a playmate for our current puppy Jack.

Jack is a 3 year old Golden Retriever, who is a loving dog.  However he sometimes has problems with being hyper and bouncy (he's the dog in all of the pictures I've posted on here and he is pretty much the star of my Instagram feed).  Jack will walk around the yard with his toy bone in his mouth whining because he doesn't have anyone to play with.  It's really sad.  So we're getting him a puppy!

After much consideration and research we've decided to get a Goldendoodle.  We want a dog that will stay outside (something that usually hinders us from adopting a puppy from animal shelters) and my dad would prefer to get a dog that is just a puppy.  (Jack was found in vet's parking lot when he was 6 months old and there are clear signs of abuse that will probably last his whole life.)  

I've been searching and searching for the right puppy for us.  I know that whatever puppy finally makes his way to us will be puppy we're supposed to have.  (The situation with Jack and the Golden Retriever we owned before him proved that-- they were both dogs that needed a good home and literally through one way or another found his way to us.)  We think we might have the right puppy in our sights, but time will tell.  

One thing I want to make sure of is that I document this new puppy's growth and development.  I want to be able to look back and see how much he grew, etc. I recently came across pictures of Dante as a teeny tiny kitten that made me wish I had more pictures.  (Dante was so small he could fit into the palm of your hand and now he can barely fit into your lap.)  

As I've said before I fail at scrapbooking, but straight from the blog that inspired me to start blogging again comes a new way to Scrapbook.  Mini Books.  It's just made from paper held together with book rings and completely left up to your imagination.  The best blog post explaining it that I could find is found here.  But there are so many different ways to create a mini book.  And Elise Cripe has post after post of what she has created.  Each one can be as unique and different as you want it to be.  I think I'm going to start one when we get our new puppy (maybe just not put it together for a little while as I don't really have any workspace).

Elise Cripe with just a few of her mini books. 

(Photo credit: Elise's Blog)

 Just another picture of a mini book.  

If you want to see more check out Elise's detailed posts about how she puts them together.

(Photo Credit: Elise's Blog)

Resolution #2:

To create a mini book centered on the new Goldendoodle puppy and his new life in our family.