I have a new Baby!

Isn't she the cutest! She is a 6 month old Shih Tsu and her name is Tia. My daughter got her from a lady who needed to find her a new home. She is so much fun and loves to cuddle! She is only 7 lbs. but I am sure she will get a little bigger although I hope not much.

Our 9 year old Boston Terrier Dixie hasn't been thrilled about the new addition but she has been tolerant. Tia is smart enough not to try to play with the old gal however the cat is another story. She usually gets slapped around at least once a day. The cat will sit on the steps into the house and not let her go in. She is so mean!

I wasn't sure I wanted to take on another animal but she was so cute that I couldn't resist! Even Gary is a little taken with her. She demands his attention when he gets home from work and won't leave him alone until she gets it. I always thought that Shih Tzus would be prissy but boy was I wrong! She loves to get in the wet grass and romp around, she is so much fun to watch!

Until next time,

Barb

School's Out, Birthdays are over, time to relax.... yea right!

I am so glad school is out, no more fighting about homework and grades, until the report card comes in the mail that is! My daughter is finished with High School and I couldn't be more ecstatic. I seriously did not think we were both going to live through it, now if we both live through her "finding herself" then we will have accomplished something! With the ending of the school year also comes the Birthdays. My children are exactly 6 years and roughly 12 hours apart in age which means that their Birthdays are 1 day apart. My daughter's Birthday is the 28th of May and my son's is on the 29th.... believe me, that takes talent! No we didn't plan them this way, who could or would want to!? All I can say on the subject is that my Dear Husband was told that there would be no more "Anniversary Presents" until the problem was "snipped" in the butt if you know what I mean! Problem solved! Just a little history on the whole Birthday thing.... My daughter is convinced that she didn't get a 6th Birthday party because of the stupid little brother being born.... Oh really? I believe I have pictures and a scrapbook page or two to prove it but she still refuses to believe me. Lets see, I was 10 and a half months pregnant by my calculations and was crossing my legs the whole time but I still managed to hang a pinata, provide cake and ice cream, presents, guests, the whole nine yards but she doesn't remember.... If just one of my children would have bothered to be on time this wouldn't have turned out to be such a fiasco as their due dates were within a few days of each other as well. Which brings up another memory..... Me and my beautiful 5 year old daughter walking through Wal-Mart just after my Doctor told me my due date and I innocently ask said daughter if she would like to have a new baby brother or sister for her Birthday, she stops in the middle of the aisle, looks me straight in the face and says "I'd rather have a toy" And her attitude towards him hasn't changed a bit in the last 19 years! So the Birthdays have never been all that harmonious and there is always an "incident" or two to put a small damper on the proceedings. This year as we are singing Happy Birthday to the dastardly duo the smaller one is a little more excited and is apparently annoying the other so she gets him in a headlock smashing his braces into his lip. Now he is crying and doesn't want to blow out his candles. He also doesn't want to eat any cake and ice cream because he is so embarrassed at having cried in front of the whole family. On the bright side it was the first time my Daughter smiled all day!

So I heave a sigh of relief having survived the Birthdays and look forward to what June has in store, camping next weekend, Basketball Camp the next, Parade Band and Jr. Golf. Family Reunions and trips to the amusement park.... Relax, yea right!

Barb

It's Finally Over! And What the Heck?

The yard sale is finally over and I am so glad it is! I sold the sectional (whoo hoo!) We did pretty good, I made enough to put a down payment on some furniture for the family room, still not sure it was worth it though. It seems as though I have one of these every 5 years or so just to remind myself why I hate them so much! I must forget just how much of a pain they are to even contemplate having another one! For one the dickering drives me crazy... I know that it is all part of the game but please people, if you are the first customer of a 2 day sale don't ask me if I will take $.25 for an item that is marked $2.00! Saturday afternoon I have no problem making deals, heck even Friday afternoon for that matter but not right out of the gate! I don't even go to yard sales, I just don't have the patience for sifting through all of the junk to find the real treasures plus they start way too early in the morning for me! There are people around here who have them every weekend... Are they crazy or am I just not seeing the fun and excitement in it all?

Now that the sale is over I have to get on with getting my basement put back together. But before I can do that I still have to paint my scrapbook room and before that can happen the guy needs to come and fix the dang dry wall and he isn't calling us back which means all my scrapbook stuff is still all over the family room! GRRR!

So now on to "What the Heck?" Do all men have to go through a phase when they think they are Peter Fonda in "Easy Rider" or in my Husband's case Tim Allen in "Wild Hogs"? Lately my hubby has been hem hawing around about wanting a street bike, now know that we have already been through the dirt bike and four wheeler phase and we are still paying on it. Finally he drug me to the two local bike shops to show me what he was on about, hoping I am assuming, that I would fall all over the idea and insist that he sign the papers right away so that we could ride off into the sunset with new leathers and maybe a tattoo. When he caught on that I was not nearly as enthusiastic about this whole idea as he had hoped I got a disgruntled look and was asked just exactly what my problem was. Ummm, do you want a list? Poor economy, not quite stable job situation, uncertain future not to mention the whole Motorcycles Scare the Crap Outta Me thing! Road Pizza anyone? So we left. The rest of the night I felt bad about dashing his dreams but for once one of us had to have a little sense. Next thing I know guess what is sitting in my driveway? Well if you said a motorcycle you would be wrong.... there were 2 motorcycles in my driveway! Don't get the wrong idea, he didn't go out and buy one (or two), he had just borrowed them from his cousin. They worked out some sort of deal where he can keep one of them to ride in exchange for helping him get the rest of his running. Yes I said rest, the man has 7 motorcycles and said it would be silly for Gary to go out and buy one when he could just use one of his. Well that gets me partly off the hook but now I actually have to get on one of those beasts and hope like heck that I don't end up leaving my hind end on some long stretch of black top! So I ride with him and it is not entirely unpleasant so if it makes him happy and we don't have to incur another payment then I guess I can just deal with the smelly thing sharing the garage with my favorite car and the pure terror I feel everytime he rounds a corner with me on the back. Now how do I get out of the road trip he wants to take? Ideas anyone? Please!

Flooded basements and other fun stuff!

OK, I know I am really bad at this blog thing..... I just have a hard time writing about my wonderful, fun filled life! Actually I have a hard time believing that anyone would really want to read it! So what has been going on lately... Well our basement flooded 2 Sundays ago. Gary and I decided that this year we would try to have a garden. We tried years ago and having married a farmer I thought it would be easy to raise some corn and tomatoes and such but as it turns out those things need water... regularly! Who would have thunk it! My husband and "former" farmer was now working in the oil field and not home much to water said garden. Needless to say it did not work out too well and we gave up on the gardening. Anyway back to the present... we (meaning Gary) tilled our little 10x12 garden spot to get it ready for planting, we (meaning me) soaked the peas overnight to help them come up faster according to my father in law, then we (meaning Gary) went about planting them all in a tidy little row. It had been raining lightly off and on all day but Gary just had to water the little beggars so he put the hose on them for about an hour and a half. It being Sunday we were all (meaning everyone BUT Gary) being lazy and no one had gone downstairs until later that afternoon. Gary...of course...goes downstairs to watch some TV (finally, that man makes me tired just watching him do all that work! LOL!) and made a splash at the bottom of the stairs! After some swearing and mild freaking out (that was me!) He called his sister and I called the water extraction people. We had about 2 inches of water in the basement that had come in through the outside faucet that he had used to water the peas with. Apparently the copper pipe part of the faucet had frozen during the winter and when he turned it on it leaked in through the bathroom vent in the ceiling. Crazy! Anyway... have you heard that commercial for the ambulance chasing lawyer that says "One call, that's all"? Well that is all it took, one call. Gary's call to his sister initiated a phone tree and within a half an hour we had all the help we needed getting the furniture and everything else out of the basement. This is no small feat either. My sectional couch is very bulky and heavy and my stairs are steep with a very sharp turn at the bottom! The same people that helped us get that couch down there are the ones that helped us get it out and they don't want to have to do it again so as a courtesy to them I have decided to sell that monstrosity and get something a little more managable for the space. I suppose that the basement flooding was a blessing in disguise as it has forced me to take care of some things that I have been putting off. It is going to take some time to get it all done but in the end it will be worth it. The insurance is going to pay for the carpet being restretched and cleaned and the part of the ceiling in the bathroom to be fixed. I am going to get new couches that actually fit the room. I am going to paint my Scrapbook and bead rooms and I am going to have a HUGE yard sale! Everything must go!

Jake and Gary are out in the yard thatching so I should go see if I can help!

Barb

I'm working on it!!!

Well, I have my new computer and most of my programs installed. I must admit that I am a little nervous about getting my KNK working on it but I am getting there. I am working on some new files and am hoping to get them on Paperthreads soon. Keep checking back!

Until then!
Barb

I am getting BORED!!!

I am so bored! I keep thinking about all the things I need to be doing but they are all things that I need my laptop for! Grrr! I am waiting on pins and needles today for my new one to get here! My Nephew is getting married and I don't have his Fiance's gift made yet! And yes I need my computer to run my Klic-N-Kut to finish it! The shower is Wednesday so I don't think I will be able to get it finished just yet, will have to go to plan B!

What do you think of the new background? It just screams SPRING! I am so ready for the snow to go away! There is still a few feet in my front yard... North facing so it will be there for a little while longer. On the plus side I have fabulous Hostas that come up every year! I can't wait to see them!

Hope to be back on line full time soon! Until then...

Barb

I have a virus!!!

OK, so I haven't posted in a day or two as was pointed out to me by my good friend Stephanie... but I have a good reason, this time! My laptop has gotten ill, so ill in fact that it won't even boot up so I have been without access. My wonderful husband saw what distress I was in... or he was just tired of hearing me whine about it... so we went down to Staples to see what was available. Good news is that we bought a new laptop, bad news is that they had to order it in so here I sit waiting ... At least I can use my son's computer to blog but can I just say EEWWWWW! This area is a disaster and some little man is going to have some work to do when he gets home!! Not to mention that this thing isn't even that old and the keyboard has about had it! The space bar looks more like a teeter totter, I am not even kidding! Well at least it is still connected in the middle! Anyway, I should be getting my new laptop on Friday but then they have to keep it and the old one to transfer all my stuff over and clean up the old one. Then I have to deal with the Vista issue! I'm scared!!!! I hope all my stuff will work with it.

So if I don't post in the next few days that will be the reason! Until then.....

Barb

Finally! Some new files!

First I want to thank everyone who bought files from me on CAD! It was a huge success! I hope everyone enjoys the New Year's Border, if you didn't have a chance to download it on Monday don't worry it will be up in the store soon along with a companion file.

Good news is I have some new files in the store now, let me know what you think!

Make a Free Flash Slideshow

Not much else is going on around here just working and taking care of the family! I have a few new files in the works so hopefully I will get them out soon.

Have a Great Day!
Barb

Welcome Blog Hoppers!

Today is the day you have all been waiting for!

Our 2nd Annual Paperthreads Customer Appreciation Day!

There is a ton of stuff going on at Paperthreads and you won't want to miss out on all the fun! There are Make and Takes, a special one day Bingo and lots of Challenges and Games going on all day long! Of course there's the best fun of all, the SALES!
So let's get ready to party!

ALSO

As part of our Customer Appreciation Day at Paperthreads we are hosting a Blog Hop! On each Designer's Blog you will find a Border that is yours to download for free! Please remember that the Terms of Use still apply.
You will be able to collect 15 Borders in all! Whoo Hoo!

This download is no longer available, look for it in the Paperthreads store soon.

Make sure to leave me a comment! I will be doing a drawing at the end of the day for a free file from BarbWire Designs! I will post the winner tomorrow! Thanks for stopping by!

So on to the next Blog on your journey!
I promise you won't be disappointed!


Have a Great Day!
Barb

Have you heard the big NEWS?

There's big goings on at Paperthreads on Monday! It's our annual Customer Appreciation Day, full of savings in the Store and lots of fun on the Forum!

Here is a list of who's having sales on their files

30% off
Forever Memories for You
35% off
J Barelle Designs
40% off
Accents by Eddita
50% off
BarbWire Designs
Beloved Keepsakes
Butterfly Designs
Carrie's Creations
Diana's Designs
Dora Law
Ginny's Happy Cuts
I Scrap Designs
Jen Adkins Designs
Jennie Bean Crafts
Paperthreads Designs
Sam & Hailey Designs
Shelly's Art
Shirley Clark Designs
Wishblading Well

Jan will be hosting a special CAD Bingo and there will be lots of fun activities all day long. Carrie and Shirley will both be hosting Make and Takes!

Don't forget to check out this month's Paperthreads Newsletter. It is the biggest and best yet!

I've decided to relocate!

Well, I've decided to give Blogspot a try! Hopefully it will be a little easier to keep up with!

Quick update on the family! Jake is now 12 years old and in 6th grade. He just finished wrestling for the year and just started band for the first time....now where did I put those ear plugs?


He has decided to give the Saxophone a try! I think that's a pretty cool instrument for him, if you know my son then you know that he loves to be the center of attention! When we got home with it of course he had to try it out. It was a lot harder than he thought it would be to get it to make a sound. Finally he comes running in to me and tells me "Mom I got it to make a noise, but I don't think you are going to like it!" Yeah! now where's the valium?

Elizabeth is 18 now and an adult (insert sarcastic voice here). She is in her Senior year of High School and working towards her CNA with plans of being a nurse. She is just lovely (sarcasm) and I hope she never moves out!


My husband had his appendix out at the first of the month... I will spare you the picture! We just had to get that pesky insurance deductable out of the way! LOL!
So that is what is going on on the home front.

For those of you who are looking for BarbWire Designs I will be adding some new files to the store soon! I have some fun Valentine files and of course in true Barb fashion I even have some New Years files coming, surely not everyone has scrapped their New Years pictures yet! Right?

If you know me then you know that if there is a super new, super fun tool out there that I am eventually going to get one, right! Well there is! KNK came out with their new machines (sheesh, I hope they don't do this every year!) I decided to go with the KNK MAXX 15"! Whoo Hoo! I am so excited to be able to design in 12x12 now! Check them out at Paperthreads. They are awesome! Please check in again soon, I will be posting pictures of my new designs as soon as I can get them test cut!

Barb