Swirling and Whirling

Can't believe it's been a little over a week since my last post! Things have just been swirling and whirling around in my head lately! So much to think about, so much to plan, so much we want to do, so much we can't do, etc....! So far the start to fall has been great though! the girls are both settled into the fact that they are both in school I think! Braelyn seems to love it and I love when she gives me snippets of info about what she has been learning. She tells me more when I don't just come out and ask I notice. She will just randomly say things like "Mom, did you know that the k makes the "kkkk" sound?" and then she does this little thing she has learned that goes with the k sound! It's so fun! I told her that this year she gets to learn how to read, so she is pretty excited about that - as am I! I don't have any clue how to teach someone how to read, so I'm so thankful that there are teachers out there who have the patience and know how when it comes to that! Selah seems to like school and hasn't had any melt downs or anything there either! We have a GREAT teacher again this year (Braelyn had the same one for Threeschool), and so that helps! Selah has also been doing gymnastics at a local gym and she really likes that as well! It makes for a lot of running around for me on my days off, but I don't mind too much! Me and Gracyn get to have some time together now for 2 hours on Tue. and Fri. mornings while both girls are in school - so that is special too!

I want to learn how to make and decorate a great cake! Is that odd?! For some reason I am intrigued by cute cakes! And yummy cakes too! Gracyn's 2nd birthday is coming up and I am going to attempt to make this cake since she is having a My Little Pony birthday party! I hope it turns out! I am going to try to take the cake decorating course at Hobby Lobby next week to try to practice and learn a bit more! That's just one of the things whirling around in my head.

The other thing is - I want a Kitchenaid Mixer! Random and wierd bit of information, but I have been wanting one for a month or two now! I stalk sites like Pioneer Woman and I always sign up for her give-aways - especially when it is for a kitchenaid mixer, and I have not won one yet! ;) It might have to do with the fact that like 10,000 people enter her give-aways! Anyway, truth be told I never wanted one of these mixers up until recently. I am just starting to realize how often I would use one! I am not a huge cook or baker, but I do love to make cookies, cakes, and stuff like that! I ate at my sister Tammy's house not that long ago and she made the most amazing mashed potatoes - and she used her kitchenaid mixer to whip them up (and then she put them in the oven with butter and paprika and maybe something else - I am not sure). Made me want a mixer even more. The hand mixer I have is from when we got married and it seems to have no "low" speed setting, I swear. When a recipe tells me to beat on low speed, I simply can't - it beats it at high speed on setting 1. Grrrrr... So there you have it - I want a kitchenaid! Dan Seaborn has a really funny story about his wife wanting a kitchenaid and I wish for the life of me I could remember it all! I know I wouldn't do the story justice anyway, because part of it is so funny because of the way he tells it!

Busy. I have been thinking about that word lately. A lot of people are busy. Do we say we are busy to prove ourselves? It's become almost like a competition of sorts. Kind of like a braggin right. I think busy is relative. We are all busy in some form or another. I am no busier than you, or you, or you. Nor do I think you are any more busy than me. There, I said it! It's no competition for me! I am not a big competitor anyway really. Never liked competition much - which is partly why I hated Holland Christian truth be told - it was one big competition I feel like! Anyway - there you have it, my feelings on the word busy. And I am not saying that I don't sometimes fall into the busy trap myself, sometimes I have to try to defend my busyness as well, in a conversation unfortunately! Let's just all be happy and know that everyone in this life is busy! :)

Let see, what else is swirling and whirling around in this head of mine?!

Always scrapbooking stuff! I have done two shutterfly albums recently!!! They can be viewed here! They are of our 2 vacations this year - Punta Cana and North Carolina! I love how they turned out printed! It's so fun to get projects like this done! I actually applied to hold a shutterfly party at my house - in which the guests who attended would get some great freebies from the site and it would be for people who are interested in learning a few tips and techniques on how to create a photobook thru Shutterfly - kind of fun! The-Lilypad has announced their final new designer this past Fri. as well!!! Valorie Wibbens (Spotted Dog Designs)! Her designs are awesome, and I have had some fun playing with them! Check out her store HERE!

That's another thing that has my head spinning lately! There are now 13 permanent designers at TLP!!! That means sooooooooo many goodies are coming out weekly! I want to get my hands on ALL of it! I want to create something with everything there! I want more time to scrap! I have to juggle going to bed with my husband (because we generally try to go to bed together - have since we got married for the most part) and yet trying to get some stuff done after the kiddos are in bed. Hopefully this week I can play with some of the goodies at night! It truly does give me a calming feeling to scrapbook - kind of an outlet for me! Some have been known to call me crazy! ;)

Ok - signing out - sorry not many pics - Lord knows I do have some fun ones to post. I will have to work on an all photo post soon!!!